Measures to be taken for the benefit of the Sudano-Sahelian region.

33. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE SECOND COMMITTEE*
88. Measures to be taken for the benefit of the Sudano-Sahelian region

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 32/170 of 19 December 1977,

Aware of the seriousness of desertification in the Sudano-Sahelian region and of the urgency of implementing in that region the Plan of Action to Combat Desertification,[1] adopted by the United Nations Conference on Desertification, held at Nairobi from 29 August to 9 September 1977, Having considered the report of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme on the work of its sixth session,[2] particularly the parts of that report on measures to be taken for the benefit of the Sudano-Sahelian region, Bearing in mind section II of Economic and Social Council resolution 1978/37 of 21 July 1978, Stressing the need for bodies of the United Nations system, other international agencies and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to support the efforts of the countries of the Sudano-Sahelian region to combat desertification, particularly by planning and implementing projects and strengthening sub-regional and regional structures, Recalling its resolution 3054 (XXVIII) of 17 October 1973, in which it defined the functions of the United Nations Sahelian Office, Recalling further that it is of vital importance that the United Nations Sahelian Office should continue to maintain close co-operation with the Permanent Inter-State Committee on Drought Control in the Sahel with a view to the full implementation of the programmes drawn up by the Committee and its member States,

1. Endorses decision 6/11 B of 24 May 1978 of the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme[3] and decision 25/10 of 27 June 1978 of the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme;[4]

2. Decides to designate the United Nations Sahelian Office, in addition to its current functions, as the arm of the United Nations to be responsible for assisting, on behalf of the United Nations Environment Programme, the efforts of the fifteen countries of the Sudano-Sahelian region situated south of the Sahara and north of the equator[5] to implement the Plan of Action to Combat Desertification;

3. Authorizes, to that end, the organizational enlargement of the United Nations Sahelian Office and its regional office at Ouagadougou, without prejudice to the work undertaken in implementation of the recovery and rehabilitation programme in the SudanoSahelian region in conformity with the functions of the United Nations Sahelian Office as defined in paragraph 3 of General Assembly resolution 3054 (XXVIII), this process, in accordance with paragraph 1 above, to be the joint responsibility of the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Environment Programme;

4. Invites the specialized agencies and other organizations and programmes of the United Nations system concerned to co-operate fully with the United Nations Sahelian Office in its efforts to ensure the complete effectiveness of assistance provided to the fifteen countries of the Sudano-Sahelian region for the implementation of the Plan of Action to Combat Desertification;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its thirty-fourth session a report on the implementation of the present resolution;

6. Requests the Governing Council of the United Nations Environment Programme to submit to the General Assembly an annual report on the implementation in the Sudano-Sahelian region of the Plan of Action to Combat Desertification.

85th plenary meeting
15 December 1978

---

[1] A/CONF.74/36, chap. I. [2] 0fficial Records of the General Assembly, Thirty-third Session, Supplement No. 25 (A/33/25). [3] Ibid., annex I [4] See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council 1978, Supplement No. 13 (E/1978/53/Rev.1), chap. XX [5] Cape Verde, Chad, Ethiopia, Gambia, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, United Republic of Cameroon and Upper Volta.