Assistance to South African student refugees

A/RES/33/164

33. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE THIRD COMMITTEE

164. Assistance to South African Student Refugees

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolutions 31/126 of 16 December 1976 and 32/119 of 16 December 1977 concerning assistance to South African Student refugees,

Recalling also Security Council resolution 417 (1977) of 31 October 1977 and Economic and Social Council resolution 1978/55 of 2 August 1978, in which, inter alia, an appeal was made to all Governments, organizations and United Nations agencies to make generous contributions to the United Nations emergency programmes of assistance to South African Student refugees,

Deeply concerned by the discriminatory education policies and repressive measures being applied by the Government of South African against black students in that country,

Noting that the Government concerned expect the flow of student refugees from South African into their countries to continue while these discriminatory policies and repressive measures are maintained,

Aware that the continued influx of South African student refugees fleeing from these repressive policies continues to cause pressure on the available educational and other facilities in neighbouring countries offering asylum to those students,

Recognizing the need to provide assistance to those countries to help them to provide adequate facilities to the student refugees,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General¹ containing the findings of the review missions sent by him to Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Zambia in May and June 1978 to examine the status of the programmes of assistance to South African student refugees,

Recognizing that the international assistance provided so far has made possible the implementation of major components of the emergency assistance programmes for South African Student refugees in the region, but that further international assistance is still required for their care, subsistence and education,

1. Endorses the assessment and recommendations contained in the report of the Secretary-General and commends him and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on their efforts to mobilize resources and organize the programmes of assistance to South African student refugees in the host countries;

2. Notes with appreciation that the Governments of Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Zambia continue to grant asylum and make educational and other facilities available to the student refugees in spite of the pressure which the continuing influx of these refugees exerts on facilities in their countries;

3. Notes with satisfaction the contributions made by various States, United Nations agencies and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations towards meeting the needs of South African student refugees;

4. Expresses concern that, in spite of the contributions made so far the needs of South African student refugees continued to increase;

5. Requests all agencies and programmes of the United Nations system, including the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the United Nations Children's Fund, the United Nations Development Programme, the international Labour Organisation, the United Nations Trust Fund for South Africa and the World Food Programme, to continued assisting the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in carrying out the humanitarian function entrusted to him;

6. Urges all States, United Nations agencies and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to contribute generously to the assistance programmes for these students, both through financial support and by offering further opportunities for their educational and vocational training, as well as by financial and material contributions for their care and maintenance;

7. Requests the Secretary-General and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to continue all efforts necessary for an effective programme of educational and other appropriate assistance for the South African student refugees in Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Zambia;

8. Further request the Secretary-General to continue to keep the matter under review and to report to the General Assembly, at its thirty-fourth session, through the Economic and Social Council at its second regular session of 1979, on the progress made in these programmes.

90th plenary meeting
20 December 1978

1 A/33/163 and Corr.1.