Question of Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland

XX. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE FOURTH COMMITTEE
2063. Question of Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland

The General Assembly, Having examined the chapters of the reports of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relating to the Territories of Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland, [1] Having examined further the report submitted by the Secretary-General [2] pursuant to the request made by the Special Committee in its resolution of 2 November 1964, [3] Recalling its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960 containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, Recalling further its resolutions 1654 (XVI) of 27 November 1961, 1817 (XVII) of 18 December 1962 and 1954 (XVIII) of 11 December 1963, Noting the resolutions adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity at its first regular session in July 1964, and the Declaration adopted by the Second Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries in October 1964 [4] to the effect that the United Nations should guarantee the territorial integrity of Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland and should take measures for their speedy accession to independence and for the subsequent safeguarding of their sovereignty, Noting with deep concern the economic and social situation prevailing in the three Territories and their imperative and urgent need for United Nations assistance, Having regard to the grave threat to the territorial integrity and economic stability of these Territories constituted by the policies of the present régime in the Republic of South Africa, Regretting that the administering Power of these Territories has not taken effective and complete steps to implement General Assembly resolutions 1514 (XV), 1817 (XVII) and 1954 (XVIII),

1. Approves the chapters of the reports of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relating to the Territories of Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland, and endorses the conclusions and recommendations contained therein;

2. Reaffirms the inalienable right of the peoples of Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland to freedom and independence;

3. Once again invites the administering Power to take urgent steps to implement fully General Assembly resolutions 1514 (XV), 1817 (XVII) and 1954 (XVIII) in conformity with the freely expressed wishes of the peoples of the three Territories;

4. Renews its request that the administering Power should take immediate steps to return to the indigenous inhabitants all the land taken from them, whatever the form of or pretext for such alienation;

5. Requests the Special Committee to consider, in co-operation with the Secretary-General, what measures are necessary for securing the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland, and to report to the General Assembly at its twenty-first session;

6. Expresses its satisfaction to the Secretary-General for his efforts and endorses the recommendations contained in his report;

7. Decides to establish a Fund for the Economic Development of Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland, to be made up of voluntary contributions and to be administered by the Secretary-General in close consultation with the Governments of the three Territories and with the co-operation and assistance of the Special Fund, the Technical Assistance Board, the Economic Commission for Africa and the specialized agencies concerned;

8. Considers, that the efforts to provide economic, financial and technical assistance, through United Nations programmes of technical co-operation and the specialized agencies, should continue in order to remedy the deplorable economic and social situation of the three Territories;

9. Requests the Secretary-General to appoint resident representatives in the three Territories, as recommended in paragraph 22 of his report, and to report to the General Assembly at its twenty-first session on the, operation of the Fund established under paragraph 7 above.

1398th plenary meeting,
16 December 1965.

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[1] Ibid., Nineteenth Session, Annexes, annex No. 8 (part I) (A/5800/Rev.1), chapter VIII; ibid., Twentieth Session, Annexes, addendum to agenda item 23 (A/6000/Rev.1), chapter VII. [2] Ibid., Twentieth Session, Annexes, agenda item 23, document A/5958. [3] Ibid., Nineteenth Session, Annexes, annex No. 8 (part I) (A/5800/Rev.1), chapter VIII, para. 365. [4] See A/5763.