The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions 42/1 of 7 October 1987, 42/110 of 7 December 1987, 42/204 of 11 December 1987, 42/231 of 12 May 1988, 43/118 of 8 December 1988, 44/139 of 15 December 1989, 45/141 of 14 December 1990, 46/107 of 16 December 1991 and 47/103 of 16 December 1992,
Bearing in mind that the International Conference on Central American Refugees is related to the initiative of the Central American Presidents expressed in the procedures for the establishment of a firm and lasting peace in Central America, signed at the Esquipulas II summit meeting on 7 August 1987,
Bearing in mind that the Central American Presidents, at the fourteenth summit meeting, held at Guatemala City from 27 to 29 October 1993, expressing the need to continue the transition from humanitarian assistance to development cooperation, decided to call upon the international community, especially the International Conference on Central American Refugees, which has carried out valuable work in that area, to continue its support for humanitarian and development programmes benefiting uprooted populations,
Recognizing the importance and validity of the Declaration and the Concerted Plan of Action in favour of Central American Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons, adopted at the International Conference on Central American Refugees held at Guatemala City from 29 to 31 May 1989 and the Declarations of the First and Second International Meetings of the Follow-Up Committee of the Conference,
Recalling the outcome of the meetings of the Follow-Up Committee of the International Conference on Central American Refugees, held at San Jose on 2 and 3 April 1991, at San Pedro Sula, Honduras, from 17 to 19 June 1991, at Tegucigalpa on 13 and 14 August 1991, at Managua on 25 and 26 October 1991, at San Salvador on 7 and 8 April 1992 and at Managua on 29 September and 28 October 1992,
Taking note of the report of the Follow-Up Committee of the Conference, submitted to the Executive Committee of the Programme of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees at its forty-fourth session, concerning the implementation of the Concerted Plan of Action,
Noting with satisfaction the efforts being made by the Central American countries, Belize and Mexico to find lasting solutions to the problems of the refugees, returnees and displaced persons in implementing the aims and objectives of the Concerted Plan of Action as an integral part of efforts to achieve a firm and lasting peace and democratization of the region,
Welcoming with satisfaction the progress made in El Salvador in achieving the consolidation of peace in that country, in accordance with the peace agreements and the National Reconstruction Plan, the efforts to achieve peace and reconciliation in Guatemala, and the efforts made in Nicaragua to achieve the objectives of national reconciliation and to assist the uprooted populations, all of which continue to encourage movements of voluntary repatriation and settlement of internally displaced persons,
Bearing in mind the joint political and economic communique adopted at the ninth Ministerial Conference between the States members of the European Community and Central America, the San Jose IX Summit, held at San Salvador on 22 and 23 February 1993, and the joint declaration of the fourteenth summit meeting of Central American Presidents, held at Guatemala City from 27 to 29 October 1993, in which the need for international support for the programmes carried out within the framework of the International Conference on Central American Refugees was reaffirmed,
Recognizing the substantial support that, inter alia, the Secretary- General, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Development Programme, the donor community and national and international non-governmental organizations have given the Conference since its inception,
Recognizing that the extension of the duration of the Concerted Plan of Action of the Conference until May 1994 has enabled substantial progress to be made in the efforts to achieve the proposed objectives and aims,
Taking note of the transfer, on 1 July 1993, of the lead-agency role from the Office of the High Commissioner to the United Nations Development Programme in order to strengthen the Concerted Plan of Action of the Conference,
Convinced that peace, development and democracy are essential in order to solve the problems of uprooted populations in the region,
1. Takes note of the reports submitted by the Secretary-General and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees;
2. Notes with satisfaction the progress achieved in the implementation of programmes and projects within the framework of the International Conference on Central American Refugees, and expresses its appreciation to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the United Nations Development Programme for their substantial support to the process, and for the invaluable contribution of non-governmental organizations;
3. Urges the Central American countries, Belize and Mexico to continue to implement and follow up the programmes benefiting refugees, returnees and displaced persons in accordance with their national development plans;
4. Reaffirms its conviction that the voluntary repatriation of refugees and the return of displaced persons to their countries or communities of origin continues to be a positive sign of the progress of peace in the region;
5. Also reaffirms its conviction that the processes of return to and reintegration in the countries and communities of origin should continue to take place in conditions of dignity and security and with the necessary guarantees to ensure that the affected populations are included in the respective national development plans;
6. Supports the special attention that the Central American countries, Belize and Mexico are giving to the particular needs of refugee, repatriated and displaced women and children and to the measures being adopted to protect and improve the environment and to preserve ethnic and cultural values;
7. Requests the Secretary-General, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Development Programme and other organs of the United Nations system to continue their support for and involvement in the follow-up, implementation and evaluation of the humanitarian programmes developed within the framework of the Conference process;
8. Emphasizes the importance of ensuring, upon the conclusion of the Conference process in May 1994, that the needs of refugees, returnees and displaced persons are specifically reflected in a comprehensive and sustained concept of human development, and that the United Nations Development Programme, with the collaboration of the High Commissioner, continues to support this approach in the post-Conference strategy;
9. Expresses its conviction that the work carried out through the integrated Conference process could serve as a valuable lesson to be applied in other regions of the world;
10. Calls upon the international community, particularly the donor countries, to continue to strengthen their generous support for the Conference so as to consolidate the aims and objectives set at the Conference, and to continue to provide their valuable cooperation in the financing and implementation of the social and humanitarian programmes proposed for the period of transition to development, their own development programmes and those programmes relating to environmental protection which are designed to meet the needs of the uprooted populations;
11. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its forty-ninth session a report on the process of the International Conference on Central American Refugees, including an analysis of achievements, obstacles and pending tasks.
85th plenary meeting
20 December 1993
