Reconstruction of Countries Members of the United Nations Devastated by War

XVI. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE PROPOSALS OF THE GENERAL COMMITTEE
3. Reconstruction of Countries Members of the United Nations Devastated by War

Considering: that the war of aggression waged on the territories of many Members of the United Nations resulted in the destruction of vast areas of these countries on an unprecedented scale; that these peace-loving nations, which suffered such an extensive damage, represent nearly one-half of the total population of the world; that the vast areas representing a big consuming power are virtually eliminated from the normal flow of world trade, so that the whole world economy must be seriously affected; that the great scale of destruction resulted in most cases in a dangerous lowering in the standard of living and in the health of the population, in a substantial loss of productive capacity and sometimes in the complete destruction of the normal economic activities of the respective countries; that in order to make good the destruction and so to restore the shaken world economy vast amounts of new capital goods must be invested in the destroyed areas; that in most cases it would be impossible to deal with the work of reconstruction with the necessary speed and efficiency if the affected countries were limited in this respect to their internal resources and possibilities alone; that only a full-scale and whole-hearted co-operation of all the United Nations can bring about the right solution of this grave problem; the General Assembly:

1. recognizes the problem of full reconstruction of the countries belonging to Members of the United Nations which suffered substantial war damage as a grave and urgent matter which should be given very high priority among post-war problems;

2. decides to discuss generally this matter under paragraph 17 of its agenda and to transmit it, at the second part of the first session of the General Assembly, for a close examination by the Second Committee, which shall present to the General Assembly a report resulting from this examination.

3. asks the Economic and Social Council to place this subject on the agenda of its first meeting, as an urgent matter in the economic and social field, according to paragraph 10 of the provisional agenda of the first meeting of the Council, as proposed by the Preparatory Commission.

Twenty-second plenary meeting,
2 February 1946.