Assistance to Cape Verde.

35. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE SECOND COMMITTEE
104. Assistance to Cape Verde

The General Assembly, Recalling its resolution 33/127 of 19 December 1978, in which it made an appeal to the international community to provide generous and immediate assistance to the development programme recommended in the report of the Secretary-General on the mission which he sent to Cape Verde in response to General Assembly resolution 32/99 of 13 December 1977,[1] and requested the Secretary-General, inter alia, to mobilize the necessary resources for an effective programme of financial, technical and material assistance to Cape Verde, Recalling also that in its resolutions 31/17 of 24 November 1976 and 32/99 of 13 December 1977 it noted with concern the grave economic situation existing in Cape Verde as a result of a severe and prolonged drought, the total lack of infrastructure for development and other social and economic strains on the economy of the country, Recalling further its resolution 34/16 of 9 November 1979 concerning measures to be taken to implement the medium-term and long-term recovery and rehabilitation programme in the drought-stricken countries of the Sahelian region, Noting that Cape Verde is classified by the United Nations as a least developed country as well as a most seriously affected country, and is a member of the Permanent Inter-State Committee on Drought Control in the Sahel, Recalling its resolution S-11/4 of 15 September 1980 on measures to meet the critical situation in the least developed countries, Bearing in mind resolution 122 (V) of 3 June 1979 of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development,[2] entitled "Comprehensive New Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries", Recalling its resolutions 31/156 of 21 December 1976 and 32/185 of 19 December 1977, as well as resolution 111 (V) of 3 June 1979 of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, relating to specific action in favour of developing island countries, Having examined the report of the Secretary-General of 20 August 1980,[3] to which was annexed the report of the mission which he sent to Cape Verde in response to General Assembly resolution 34/119 of 14 December 1979, Taking note of the development priorities of the Government of Cape Verde, which include urgent programmes for increasing agricultural production and water supplies, the development of fisheries, the promotion of manufacturing, the exploitation of minerals, the development of inter-island transport and port facilities and the improvement of educational facilities, Drawing the attention of the international community, in particular, to paragraph 30 of the annex to the report of the Secretary-General, concerning the development programme projects for which no financing is yet available, Noting the severe strain on the recurrent budget of Cape Verde, resulting largely from the drought, and the Government's policy of austerity to reduce the financial deficit, Noting with satisfaction that some projects have been completed with total or partial financing by the Government of Cape Verde, Noting the minimum food needs of Cape Verde for 1980, as described in table 6 of the annex to the report of the Secretary-General, Gravely concerned that the expected harvest for 1981 has been lost as the result of the failure of the seasonal rains and the recurrence of drought, Recognizing the essential role of food aid for the country at the current stage of development and the fact that the food aid made available to Cape Verde has helped to ensure a minimum availability of food and has, in addition, contributed to labour-intensive development projects through the use of sale proceeds, Recognizing also the gravity and urgency of the economic and social problems confronting Cape Verde, an island country classified as a least developed country, afflicted by severe drought, with a serious food shortage, and the country's need for more effective and immediate assistance for the integral implementation of a programme of accelerated development, Noting with satisfaction the efforts of the Government and people of Cape Verde, firmly committed to the development of their country,

1. Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General for the steps he has taken to mobilize assistance for Cape Verde;

2. Endorses fully the assessment and recommendations contained in the annex to the report of the Secretary-General and draws the attention of the international community to the urgent requirements for the assistance identified in it;

3. Expresses its appreciation to Member States and international organizations for the assistance provided to Cape Verde, in both development aid and food aid;

4. Expresses its concern, however, that the response of the international community has not been sufficient to meet the situation;

5. Reiterates its appeal to all States, international, regional and interregional organizations and other intergovernmental bodies to continue to provide generous financial, material and technical assistance to Cape Verde so as to enable it to carry out a programme of accelerated development;

6. Calls upon Member States to give consideration to the early inclusion of Cape Verde in their programmes of development assistance and, in cases where assistance programmes for Cape Verde are already in force, to expand them, wherever possible;

7. Calls upon the international community to continue to contribute generously to all appeals for food and fodder assistance made by the Government of Cape Verde or on its behalf by the specialized agencies and the other competent organizations of the United Nations system to help it cope with the critical situation in the country;

8. Draws once again the attention of the international community to the special account which was established at United Nations Headquarters by the Secretary-General, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 32/99, for the purpose of facilitating the channelling of contributions to Cape Verde;

9. Invites the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Children's Fund, the World Food Programme, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development to continue, through their governing bodies, to consider the special needs of Cape Verde and to report the decisions of those bodies to the Secretary-General by 15 August 1981;

10. Requests the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to report periodically to the Secretary-General on the steps they have taken and the resources they have made available to assist Cape Verde;

11. Requests the Secretary-General:

(a) To continue his efforts to mobilize the necessary resources for implementing the programme of development assistance to Cape Verde;

(b) To keep the situation in Cape Verde under constant review, to maintain close contact with Member States, regional and other intergovernmental organizations, the specialized agencies and the international financial institutions concerned and to apprise the Economic and Social Council, at its second regular session of 1981, of the current status of the special economic assistance programme for Cape Verde;

(c) To arrange for a review of the economic situation of Cape Verde and the progress made in organizing and implementing the special economic assistance programme for that country and to report to the General Assembly at its thirty-sixth session.

84th plenary meeting
5 December 1980

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[1] A/33/167 and Corr.1. [2] See Proceedings of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Fifth Session, vol. I, Report and Annexes (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.79.II.D.14), part one, sect. A. [3] A/35/332 and Corr.1.