Question of American Samoa.

31. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE FOURTH COMMITTEE*
55. Question of American Samoa

The General Assembly, Having considered the question of American Samoa, Having examined the relevant chapters of the report 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,[1] Recalling its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and all other resolutions and decisions of the United Nations relating to American Samoa, Conscious of the need to promote progress towards the full implementation of the Declaration with respect to American Samoa, Bearing in mind the constructive results achieved as a consequence of previous visiting missions to Non-Self-Governing Territories and reiterating its conviction that the dispatch of such missions is essential for securing adequate and first-hand information in regard to the conditions prevailing in those Territories and to the views, wishes and aspirations of the peoples therein with respect to their future status, Mindful that American Samoa requires the continued attention and assistance of the United Nations in the achievement by its people of the objectives embodied in the Charter of the United Nations and in the Declaration, Aware of the special circumstances of the geographical location and economic conditions of American Samoa, and stressing the necessity of diversifying its economy as a matter of priority in order to reduce its dependence on fluctuating economic activities,

1. Approves the chapter of the report 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 American Samoa;[2]

2. Reaffirms the inalienable right of the people of American Samoa to self-determination and independence in accordance with the Declaration;

3. Reaffirms its conviction that questions of territorial size, geographical location and limited resources should in no way delay the implementation of the Declaration with respect to American Samoa;

4. Calls upon the Government of the United States of America, as the administering Power, in consultation with the freely elected representatives of the people, to continue to take all the necessary steps to ensure full and speedy attainment of the goals set forth in the Declaration with respect to the Territory;

5. Calls upon the administering Power to take all possible steps to diversify the economy of American Samoa and to work out concrete programmes of assistance and economic development for the Territory;

6. Requests the administering Power to consider favourably inviting a United Nations mission to visit American Samoa for the purpose of observing conditions in the Territory and learning first-hand of the aspirations of the people concerning their political status;

7. Urges the administering Power, with the co-operation of the Government of American Samoa, to safeguard the inalienable right of the people of the Territory to the enjoyment of their natural resources by taking effective measures which guarantee the rights or the people to own and dispose of those natural resources and to establish and maintain control of their future development;

8. Requests the administering Power to continue to enlist the assistance of the specialized agencies and other organizations within the United Nations system in accelerating progress in all sectors of the national life of American Samoa;

9. Requests the Special Committee to continue to seek the best ways and means for the implementation of the Declaration with respect to American Samoa, including the possible dispatch of a visiting mission in consultation with the administering Power, and to report to the General Assembly at its thirty-second session on the implementation of the present resolution.

85th plenary meeting
1 December 1976

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[1] Ibid., chaps. III and XXII. [2] Ibid., chap. XXII.