Report of the Director of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

XII. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE SPECIAL POLITICAL COMMITTEE
1191. Report of the Director of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 194 (III) of 11 December 1948, 302 (IV) of 8 December 1949, 393 (V) of 2 December 1950, 513 (VI) of 26 January 1952, 614 (VII) of 6 November 1952, 720 (VIII) of 27 November 1953, 818 (IX) of 4 December 1954, 916 (X) of 3 December 1955 and 1018 (XI) of 28 February 1957, Noting the annual report of the Director of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East[1] and the report of the Advisory Commission of the Agency,[2] Having reviewed the budget for relief and rehabilitation prepared by the Director of the Agency, and having noted the comment of the Advisory Commission to the effect that the budget is minimal, Noting with grave concern that contributions to the budget are not yet sufficient, that the financial situation of the Agency is serious, and that cuts have already had to be made in the rehabilitation programme, Noting that repatriation or compensation of the refugees, as provided for in paragraph 11 of resolution 194 (III), has not been effected, that no substantial progress has been made in the programme endorsed in paragraph 2 of resolution 513 (VI) for the reintegration of refugees and that, therefore, the situation of the refugees continues to be a matter of serious concern, Noting that the host Governments have expressed the wish that the Agency continue to carry out its mandate in their respective countries or territories and have expressed their wish to co-operate fully with the Agency and to extend to it every appropriate assistance in carrying out its functions, in accordance with the provisions of Articles 104 and 105 of the Charter of the United Nations, the terms of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, the contents of paragraph 17 of resolution 302 (IV) and the terms of the agreements with the host Governments,

1. Draws the attention of Governments to the critical financial position of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, and urges them to consider to what extent they can contribute or increase their contributions in order that the Agency may carry out its budgeted relief and rehabilitation programmes and that cuts in services may be avoided;

2. Requests the Secretary-General, in view of the critical financial position of the Agency, to make, as a matter of urgent concern, special efforts to secure the additional financial assistance needed to meet the Agency's budget and to provide adequate working capital;

3. Directs the Agency to pursue its programme for the relief and rehabilitation of refugees, bearing in mind the response to paragraphs 1 and 2 above;

4. Requests the host Governments to co-operate fully with the Agency and with its personnel and to extend to the Agency every appropriate assistance in carrying out its functions;

5. Requests the Governments of the area, without prejudice to paragraph 11 of General Assembly resolution 194 (III) of 11 December 1948, in co-operation with the Director of the Agency, to plan and carry out projects capable of supporting substantial numbers of refugees;

6. Requests the Agency to continue its consultations with the United Nations Conciliation Commission for Palestine in the best interests of their respective tasks, with particular reference to paragraph 11 of resolution 194 (III);

7. Expresses its thanks to the Director and the staff of the Agency for their continued faithful efforts to carry out the mandate of the Agency and to the specialized agencies and the many private organizations for their valuable and continuing work in assisting the refugees;

8. Requests the Director of the Agency to continue to submit the reports referred to in paragraph 12 of General Assembly resolution 1018 (XI) of 28 February 1957.

728th plenary meeting,
12 December 1957.

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[1] Ibid., Twelfth Session, Supplement No. 14 (A/3686 and Corr.1). [2] Ibid., Twelfth Session, Annexes, agenda item 26, document A/3735.