Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations, G.A. res. 48/47, 48 U.N. GAOR Supp. (No. 49) at 125, U.N. Doc. A/48/49 (1993).


The General Assembly,

Having considered the item entitled "Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations",

Having considered the reports submitted on the item by the Secretary- General and by the Chairman of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples,

Having examined the chapter of the report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relating to the item,

Recalling its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and resolution 1541 (XV) of 15 December 1960, as well as all its other resolutions on this subject, including, in particular, resolution 46/181 of 19 December 1991, endorsing the plan of action for the International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism,

Recalling also its resolution S-16/1 of 14 December 1989, the annex to which contains the Declaration on Apartheid and its Destructive Consequences in Southern Africa,

Bearing in mind the relevant provisions of the final documents of the successive Conferences of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries and of the resolutions adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity, the South Pacific Forum and the Caribbean Community,

Welcoming the announcement that the first democratic elections in South Africa will be held on 27 April 1994 and expressing the hope that these elections will lead to the establishment of a united, democratic and non- racial South Africa,

Concerned that the objectives of the Charter of the United Nations and the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples have not been fully achieved,

Noting that the large majority of the remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories are small island Territories,

Recalling its resolution 43/189 of 20 December 1988, concerning specific measures in favour of island developing countries,

Bearing in mind the conclusions and recommendations of the Meeting of Governmental Experts of Island Developing Countries and Donor Countries and Organizations, held in New York from 25 to 29 June 1990,

Recalling relevant resolutions of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee concerning the access of Non-Self-Governing Territories to programmes of the United Nations system,

Noting the assistance extended thus far to Non-Self-Governing Territories by certain specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, in particular the United Nations Development Programme, and considering that such assistance should be expanded further, commensurate with the pressing needs of the peoples concerned for external assistance,

Stressing that, because the development options of small island Non-Self-Governing Territories are limited, there are special challenges to planning for and implementing sustainable development and that those Territories will be constrained in meeting the challenges without the cooperation and assistance of the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system,

Stressing the importance of securing necessary resources for funding expanded assistance programmes for the peoples concerned and the need to enlist the support of all major funding institutions within the United Nations system in that regard,

Noting with concern the continuing effects of the acts of aggression and destabilization that were committed by South Africa against neighbouring independent African States,

Reaffirming the responsibility of the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to take all the necessary measures, within their respective spheres of competence, to ensure the full implementation, without further delay, of General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) and other relevant resolutions of the United Nations, particularly those relating to the extension of assistance to the peoples of the Non-Self- Governing Territories,

Expressing its appreciation to the Organization of African Unity, the South Pacific Forum and the Caribbean Community, as well as other regional organizations, for the continued cooperation and assistance they have extended to the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system in this regard,

Expressing its conviction that closer contacts and consultations between and among the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system and regional organizations help to facilitate the effective formulation of assistance programmes to the peoples concerned,

Mindful of the imperative need to keep under continuous review the activities of the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system in the implementation of the various United Nations decisions relating to decolonization,

Bearing in mind the extremely fragile economies of the Non-Self- Governing small island Territories and their vulnerability to natural disasters, such as hurricanes, cyclones and sea level rise, and recalling its relevant resolutions, in particular resolution 47/189 of 22 December 1992,

Recalling its resolution 47/22 of 25 November 1992 on cooperation and coordination of the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations in their assistance to Non-Self-Governing Territories,

1. Takes note of the report of the Chairman of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples on his consultations with the President of the Economic and Social Council and endorses the observations and suggestions arising therefrom;

2. Recommends that all States intensify their efforts in the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to ensure the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and other relevant resolutions of the United Nations;

3. Reaffirms that the specialized agencies and other organizations and institutions of the United Nations system should continue to be guided by the relevant resolutions of the United Nations in their efforts to contribute to the full implementation, without further delay, of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and all other relevant General Assembly resolutions;

4. Reaffirms also that the recognition by the General Assembly, the Security Council and other United Nations organs of the legitimacy of the aspiration of the peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories to exercise their right to self-determination and independence entails, as a corollary, the extension of all necessary moral and material assistance to those peoples;

5. Expresses its appreciation to those specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system that have continued to cooperate with the United Nations and the regional and subregional organizations in the implementation of General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) and other relevant resolutions of the United Nations, and urges all the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to accelerate the full and speedy implementation of the relevant provisions of those resolutions;

6. Requests the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, as well as international and regional organizations, to examine and review conditions in each Territory so as to take appropriate measures to accelerate progress in the economic and social sectors of the Territories;

7. Also requests the specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the United Nations, as well as regional organizations, to strengthen existing measures of support and formulate additional appropriate programmes of assistance to the remaining Trust and Non-Self-Governing Territories, within the framework of their respective mandates, in order to accelerate progress in the economic and social sectors of those Territories;

8. Further requests the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, in formulating their assistance programmes, to take due account of the conclusions and recommendations, entitled "Challenges and opportunities: a strategic framework", of the Meeting of Governmental Experts of Island Developing Countries and Donor Countries and Organizations, held in New York in June 1990;

9. Urges the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to formulate programmes that will support the sustainable development of small island Non-Self-Governing Territories and adopt measures that will enable those Territories to cope effectively, creatively and sustainably with environmental changes and to mitigate impacts and reduce the threats posed to marine and coastal resources;

10. Urges the executive heads of the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to formulate, with the active cooperation of the regional organizations concerned, concrete proposals for the full implementation of the relevant resolutions of the United Nations and to submit the proposals as a matter of priority to their governing and legislative organs;

11. Recommends that the executive heads of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund should draw the attention of their governing bodies to the present resolution and consider introducing flexible procedures to prepare specific programmes for the peoples of the Trust and Non-Self- Governing Territories;

12. Urges the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system that have not already done so to include in the agenda of the regular meetings of their governing bodies a separate item on the progress they have made in the implementation of General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) and other relevant resolutions of the United Nations;

13. Welcomes the continued initiative exercised by the United Nations Development Programme in maintaining close liaison among the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system and in coordinating the activities of the agencies in extending effective assistance to the peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories, and calls upon the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, as a matter of urgency, to contribute generously to the relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in those Non-Self-Governing Territories affected by natural disasters;

14. Urges the administering Powers concerned to facilitate the participation of the representatives of the Governments of Trust and Non-Self-Governing Territories in the relevant meetings and conferences of the agencies and organizations so that the Territories may draw the maximum benefits from the related activities of the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system;

15. Appeals to the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to increase humanitarian and legal assistance to the victims of apartheid;

16. Urges the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to increase their support for the forces working for the transformation of South Africa into a united, democratic and non-racial society, on the basis of the pertinent provisions of the Programme of Action contained in the Declaration on Apartheid and its Destructive Consequences in Southern Africa;

17. Appeals to the specialized agencies and the organizations of the United Nations system to render all possible assistance to the front-line and neighbouring States to enable them to rebuild their economies, which were adversely affected by acts of aggression and destabilization by South Africa;

18. Recommends that all Governments intensify their efforts in the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system of which they are members to ensure the full and effective implementation of General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) and other relevant resolutions of the United Nations and, in that connection, accord priority to the question of providing assistance on an emergency basis to the peoples of the Trust and Non-Self-Governing Territories;

19. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to assist the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system in working out appropriate measures for implementing the relevant resolutions of the United Nations and to prepare for submission to the relevant bodies, with the assistance of those agencies and organizations, a report on the action taken in implementation of the relevant resolutions, including the present resolution, since the circulation of his previous report;

20. Commends the Economic and Social Council for its debate and its resolution 1993/55 of 29 July 1993 on this issue and requests it to continue to consider, in consultation with the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, appropriate measures for coordination of the policies and activities of the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system in implementing the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly;

21. Requests the specialized agencies to report periodically to the Secretary-General on the implementation of the present resolution;

22. Requests the Secretary-General to transmit the present resolution to the governing bodies of the appropriate specialized agencies and international institutions associated with the United Nations so that those bodies take the necessary measures to implement the resolution, and also requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its forty-ninth session on the implementation of the present resolution;

23. Requests the Special Committee to continue to examine the question and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its forty-ninth session.

75th plenary meeting
10 December 1993