Implementation of the medium-term and long-term recovery and rehabilitation programme in the Sudano-Sahelian region

 

Implementation of the medium-term and long-term recovery and rehabilitation programme in the Sudano-Sahelian region

  The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 3054 (XXVIII) of 17 October 1973, 3253 (XXIX)of 4 December 1974, 3512 (XXX) of 15 December 1975, 31/180 of 21 December 1976, 32/159 of 19 December 1977, 33/133 of 19 December 1978, 34/16 of 9 November 1979, 35/86 of 5 December 1980, 36/203 of 17 December 1981 and 37/165 of 17 December 1982, Taking note of decision 83/26 of 22 June 1983 of the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme concerning the implementation of the medium-term and long-term recovery and rehabilitation programme in the Sudano-Sahelian region, Noting with satisfaction the important activities of the United Nations Sudano-Sahelian Office in helping to combat the effects of drought and to implement the medium-term and long-term recovery and rehabilitation programme in the Sudano-Sahelian region adopted by the States members of the Permanent Inter-State Committee on Drought Control in the Sahel, as well as in mobilizing the necessary resources to finance priority projects, Noting also the continued collaboration of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization with the Permanent Inter-State Committee on Drought Control in the Sahel through its arid and semi-arid programmes, Bearing in mind the statement made by the President of the Republic of Cape Verde, as current Chairman of the Permanent Inter-State Committee on Drought Control in the Sahel, during the present session of the General Assembly, in which he emphasized the continuing gravity of the drought situation in the countries of the Sahel and its devastating consequences on the development of these countries, Noting with concern the critical food situation in the countries of the Sahel as highlighted by the recent statement of the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, in the Second Committee, Noting with satisfaction the collaboration between the Permanent Inter-State Committee on Drought Control in the Sahel and the Club du Sahel, and urging that this collaboration be continued and strengthened, Taking into account the fundamental priorities of the Permanent Inter-State Committee on Drought Control in the Sahel aimed at implementing strategies for rural development and striving to achieve food self-sufficiency and food security, as well as restoration of an ecological balance in the region, Considering the nature and magnitude of the needs of the States members of the Permanent Inter-State Committee on Drought Control in the Sahel and the need for the continuation and further strengthening of the support of the international community for assisting the recovery efforts and the economic development of those countries, Taking into account that the First-Generation Programme, adopted by the Biennial Conference of the Heads of State of the Permanent Inter-State Committee on Drought Control in the Sahel, has received only 60 per cent of the financing required, Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the medium-term and long-term recovery and rehabilitation programme in the Sudano-Sahelian region, as well as the report of the Joint Inspection Unit on the activities of the United Nations Sudano-Sahelian Office,

1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of the medium-term and long-term recovery and rehabilitation programme in the Sudano-Sahelian region;

2. Welcomes the report of the Joint Inspection Unit on the activities of the United Nations Sudano-Sahelian Office, in particular its recommendation that the Office should energetically continue its specific activities, under its first mandate, to combat drought in the countries of the Sahel;

3. Expresses its gratitude to the Governments, agencies of the United Nations system, intergovernmental organizations, private organizations and individuals that have contributed to the implementation of the medium-term and long-term recovery and rehabilitation programme in the Sudano-Sahelian region;

4. Strongly urges all Governments to make special efforts to increase the resources of the United Nations Sudano-Sahelian Office, including through voluntary contributions to the United Nations Pledging Conference for Development Activities, as well as through bilateral channels, so as to enable it to respond more fully to the priority requirements of the Governments of the States members of the Permanent Inter-State Committee on Drought Control in the Sahel;

5. Requests the international community to support the implementation of the Second-Generation Programme of the States members of the Permanent Inter-State Committee on Drought Control in the Sahel, inter alia, in the execution of:

(a) Development projects already conceived and approved by the respective Governments;

(b) Regional projects for the struggle against desertification;

(c) Basic surveys needed for establishment of the potentials of development at national and regional levels;

(d) Strengthening and/or establishment of institutions for research and training, at national and subregional levels, designed to find solutions to the problems confronting the Sahelian countries;

(e) Strengthening of national and subregional capacity for planning, management and evaluation of integrated development actions;

6. Requests all Governments, organs, agencies and programmes of the United Nations system to give special attention to the critical food situation in the countries of the Sahelian region;

7. Commends the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme for the results achieved through the United Nations Sudano-Sahelian Office in assisting the States members of the Permanent Inter-State Committee on Drought Control in the Sahel in the implementation of their medium-term and long-term recovery and rehabilitation programme;

8. Reaffirms the role of the United Nations Sudano-Sahelian Office as the co-ordinator of the efforts of the United Nations system to help the countries of the Sahel to implement their recovery and rehabilitation programme;

9. Invites the United Nations Sudano-Sahelian Office to continue to strengthen its co-operation with the States members of the Permanent Inter-State Committee on Drought Control in the Sahel and with the Committee itself, with a view to hastening the implementation of the medium-term and long-term recovery and rehabilitation programme in the Sudano-Sahelian region;

10. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to report to the General Assembly, through the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme and the Economic and Social Council, on the implementation of the medium-term and long-term recovery and rehabilitation programme in the Sudano-Sahelian region.