International Conference on Assistance to Refugees in Africa

A/RES/35/42

35. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE THIRD COMMITTEE

42. International Conference on Assistance to Refugees in Africa

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 34/61 of 29 November 1979,

Taking note of resolution CM/Res.814 (XXXV) concerning the situation of refugees in Africa, adopted by the Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity at its thirty-fifth ordinary session, held at Freetown from 18 to 28 June 1980,¹

Having heard the statements of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees² on the serious situation of refugees in Africa,

Gravely concerned at the growing number of refugees on the African continent, who now constitute over half the population of refugees in the world,

Aware of the consequent social and economic burden placed on African countries of asylum as a result of the increased influx of refugees and the subsequent impact on their development,

Bearing in mind the heavy sacrifices that the countries of asylum are making, despite their limited resources, to alleviate the plight of those refugees,

Appreciating the contributions made by donor countries as well as the assistance that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations International Children's Fund, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Food Programme and other intergovernmental and non-governmental agencies have provided to refugees in Africa,

Noting with deep regret the inadequacy of the assistance provided to the growing number of African refugees,

Recognizing the universal collective responsibility to share the urgent and overwhelming burden of the problem of African refugees through effective mobilization of resources to meet the urgent and long-term needs of the refugees and to strengthen the capacity of countries of asylum to provide adequately for the refugees while they remain in their countries, as well as to assist the countries of origin in the rehabilitation of genuine voluntary returnees,

Taking note of Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/55 of 24 July 1980 in which the Council requested the Secretary-General, in co-operation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to consult the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity on appropriate ways and means of convening an international pledging conference for refugees in Africa,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General³ on his consultations with the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees concerning the organization of an international conference on assistance to refugees in Africa,

1. Notes with profound regret that the international community has not given sufficient attention to the plight of refugees in Africa;

2. Requests, consequently, the international community to contribute substantially to programmes designed to help those refugees;

3. Approves the report of the Secretary-General calling for an international conference to mobilize assistance for refugees in Africa, as well as the measures proposed for a concerted programme of information and publicity by the relevant bodies of the United Nations system in support of the conference;

4. Requests the Secretary-General, in close co-operation with the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to convene at Geneva on 9 and 10 April 1981, at the ministerial level, an International Conference on Assistance to Refugees in Africa;

5. Further requests the Secretary-General in the process of preparing for the Conference, and in close cooperation with the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to assist the concerned African countries in identifying priorities and preparing necessary documents and programmes for assistance to African refugees;

6. Authorizes the Secretary-General to meet the expenses for organization of the Conference under the regular budget of the United Nations;

7. Appeals to the international community, all Member States, the specialized agencies, regional and intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations to provide the utmost support for the Conference with a view to offering maximum financial and material assistance to refugees in Africa;

8. Further appeals to the international community to provide all necessary assistance to the countries of asylum to enable them to strengthen their capacity to provide the necessary facilities and services essential to the care and well-being of the refugees and to assist the countries of origin in the rehabilitation of genuine voluntary returnees;

9. Urges the international community to continue to support the annual programmes of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and of other United Nations agencies co-operating with the High Commissioner on behalf of refugees in Africa;

10. Requests the High Commissioner, in close cooperation with the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity, to keep under constant review the situation of refugees in Africa in order to ensure maximum international assistance on a global basis;

11. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Economic and Social Council at its first regular session of 1981 and to the General Assembly at its thirty-sixth session on the implementation of the present resolution.

73rd plenary meeting
25 November 1980

1 See A/35/463 and Corr.1, annex I.

2 Official Records of the General Assembly, Thirty-fifth Session, Third Committee, 51st meeting, paras. 1-8.

3 A/35/606.