The General Assembly,
Gravely alarmed by the increasing presence of mines and other unexploded devices resulting from armed conflicts,
Dismayed by the high number of victims of mines, especially among civilian populations, and taking note in this context of resolution 1993/83 of the Commission on Human Rights of 10 March 1993, on the effects of armed conflicts on children's lives,
Gravely concerned by the serious humanitarian, social, economic and ecological disruption which can be caused by the failure to remove mines and other unexploded devices,
Bearing in mind the serious threat which mines and other unexploded devices pose to the safety, the health and the lives of personnel participating in humanitarian, peace-keeping and rehabilitation operations,
Aware that mines constitute an obstacle to reconstruction and economic development as well as to the restoration of normal social conditions,
Considering that, in addition to the responsibilities incumbent upon States, there is scope for the United Nations to strengthen its contribution to the solution of problems relating to mine clearance,
Taking note with interest, in this regard, of the recommendations made by the Secretary-General in paragraph 58 of his report of 17 June 1992 entitled "An Agenda for Peace", as well as in his report of 15 June 1993,
Recalling its resolution 47/120 B of 20 September 1993 on the "Agenda for Peace",
Taking note of the statement made by the President of the Security Council on 26 February 1993,
Recalling also its resolution 47/56 of 9 December 1992 on the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects, and in particular on the Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby Traps and Other Devices (Protocol II),
Noting with interest, in this regard, the convening by the Secretary-General of a review conference to amend the above-mentioned Convention and in particular its Protocol II,
Noting with satisfaction the inclusion in the mandate of several peace- keeping operations of provisions relating to mine clearance,
Commending the activities already undertaken by the United Nations system, the International Committee of the Red Cross and non-governmental organizations to address the solution of problems relating to the presence of mines,
Welcoming the establishment, within the Secretariat, of a coordinated mine-clearance programme,
1. Deplores the adverse consequences which can be caused by the failure to remove mines and other unexploded devices remaining in place after armed conflicts, and considers it a matter of urgency to correct the situation;
2. Stresses the importance of coordination by the United Nations of activities, including those by regional organizations, related to mine clearance, in particular those activities relating to information and training with a view to improving the effectiveness of operations in the field;
3. Invites all relevant programmes and bodies, multilateral or national, to include, in a coordinated manner, activities related to mine clearance in their humanitarian, social and economic assistance activities;
4. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly, before its forty-ninth session, a comprehensive report on the problems caused by the increasing presence of mines and other unexploded devices resulting from armed conflicts and on the manner in which the United Nations contribution to the solution of problems relating to mine clearance could be strengthened;
5. Also requests the Secretary-General to include in his report consideration of the financial aspects of activities related to mine clearance and, in this context, of the advisability of establishing a voluntary trust fund to finance, in particular, information and training programmes relating to mine clearance and to facilitate the launching of mine-clearance operations;
6. Urges all Member States to extend full assistance and cooperation to the Secretary-General in this respect and to provide him with any information and data which could be useful in drawing up the above-mentioned report;
7. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its forty-ninth session the item entitled "Assistance in mine clearance".
32nd plenary meeting
19 October 1993
