Assistance to the drought-stricken areas of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, the Sudan and Uganda : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

 

RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Assistance to the drought-stricken areas of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, the Sudan and Uganda

    The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 35/90 and 35/91 of 5 December 1980, 36/221 of 17 December 1981, 37/147 of 17 December 1982 and 38/216 of 20 December 1983 and Economic and Social Council resolution 1983/46 of 28 July 1983 on assistance to the drought-stricken areas of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, the Sudan and Uganda, Having considered the note by the Secretary-General on assistance to the drought-stricken areas of those countries, Alarmed by the catastrophic effects of the prolonged and persistent drought that poses an imminent threat to human survival and the development prospects of the affected countries of the region, Deeply disturbed by the grave food situation and the spectre of widespread famine in the drought-stricken areas of the region, Taking into account the regional nature of the drought and the practical and regional arrangements for co-operation that already exist among the affected countries, Bearing in mind the urgent need for the international community to render assistance to Member States in the event of natural disasters,

1. Reaffirms its resolutions 35/90, 35/91, 36/221, 37/147 and 38/216 on assistance to the drought-stricken areas of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya,

Somalia, the Sudan and Uganda;

2. Takes note of the note of the Secretary-General on assistance to the drought-stricken areas of those countries;

3. Notes with satisfaction the decision taken by the Governments of Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, the Sudan and Uganda to establish an intergovernmental body to combat the effects of drought and other natural disasters, as recommended by the General Assembly in resolution 35/90 and to meet in Djibouti on 15 January 1985 to finalize the necessary arrangements for the establishment of that body;

4. Notes with appreciation the assistance thus far rendered by the international community and the measures taken by the Secretary-General, in co-operation with the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, to ensure the speediest and most effective relief aid for the victims of drought and other natural disasters in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, the Sudan and Uganda;

5. Urges all States, organizations of the United Nations system, governmental and non-governmental organizations and international financial institutions concerned to give urgent consideration to the establishment of a programme of assistance for the six countries in the East African subregion, supporting their efforts:

(a) To meet the grave and urgent needs of the people of those countries;

(b) To combat the effects of drought and other natural calamities and to deal with the problem of medium-term and long-term recovery and rehabilitation in a concerted manner;

6. Invites the Secretary-General, in close co-operation with the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, and within existing resources, to extend to Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, the Sudan and Uganda the technical assistance needed to finalize the necessary arrangements for the establishment of the proposed intergovernmental body;

7. Requests the Secretary-General, in close co-operation with the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme and the appropriate specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, to continue to extend all necessary assistance to those countries in their efforts to combat the effects of drought on the basis of the recommendations of various multi-agency missions;

8. Also requests the Secretary-General, in close co-operation with the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme and the appropriate specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, to assist the Governments of the region, at their request, in establishing or improving national machinery to combat the effects of drought and other natural disasters, to apprise the Economic and Social Council, at its second regular session of 1985, of the progress made in the implementation of the present resolution and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its fortieth session.