Emergency international assistance for peace, normalcy and reconstruction of war-stricken Afghanistan, G.A. res. 49/140, 49 U.N. GAOR Supp. (No. 49) at 51, U.N. Doc. A/49/49 (1994).


Forty-ninth session
Agenda item 37 (e)

RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The General Assembly,

Recalling
its resolutions 47/119 of 18 December 1992 and 48/208 of 21 December 1993 concerning emergency international assistance for the reconstruction of war-stricken Afghanistan,

Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General of 22 November 1994, 1/

Wishing the people of Afghanistan peace and prosperity,

Deeply concerned about the massive loss of human life, the destruction of property and the serious damage to the economic and social infrastructure of Afghanistan caused by fifteen years of war,

Affirming the readiness of the United Nations to assist the people of Afghanistan in their effort to resolve internal political differences, facilitating national rapprochement leading to the restoration of a fully representative, broad-based government and to the start of the process of rehabilitation and reconstruction in their country,

Welcoming the appointment by the Secretary-General of Mahmoud Mestiri to head the United Nations special mission to Afghanistan, and expressing its appreciation for the efforts of the special mission towards the restoration of peace, normalcy and national rapprochement and the objective of reconstruction and rehabilitation of war-stricken Afghanistan,

Expressing its support for the continuing efforts of the special mission, particularly the initial steps taken by that mission to begin a political process in which all segments of Afghan society are represented,

Appreciating the efforts of the Organization of the Islamic Conference and other international organizations in support of the special mission,

Noting with mounting concern the prolongation of armed hostilities among the factions in the country, including indiscriminate attacks on civilians and other violations of international humanitarian law, including those imposing starvation on the civilian population, which have caused significant civilian casualties, displaced populations and destruction of the economic and social infrastructure of the country, in spite of repeated calls by the Security Council and the Secretary-General for a cessation of hostilities,

Deeply concerned about the problem of millions of anti-personnel land- mines in Afghanistan, which continue to prevent many Afghan refugees from returning to their villages and from working in their fields,

Bearing in mind the close interrelationship between the revitalization of the economy and the strengthening of the ability of Afghanistan to take effective steps towards those objectives and the ensuring of peace and normalcy in the country,

Stressing the importance of the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Afghanistan for the prosperity of its people, who have suffered many hardships during fifteen years of war and devastation and who have lost the opportunity for development throughout the conflict,

Aware that Afghanistan continues to suffer from an extremely critical economic situation as a land-locked, least developed and war-stricken country,

Welcoming with appreciation the efforts of the Secretary-General to draw the attention of the international community to the acute problems of reconstruction in Afghanistan,

Affirming the urgent need to initiate international action to assist Afghanistan in restoring basic services and the infrastructure of the country, and welcoming the efforts of the United Nations Development Programme in this respect,

Appreciating the assistance of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in its continuing support for the repatriation of Afghan refugees from neighbouring countries,

Thanking all Governments that have rendered assistance to Afghan refugees, in particular the Governments of Pakistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran, and recognizing the need for international assistance for the voluntary repatriation and resettlement of refugees and internally displaced persons,

Expressing its appreciation to the States and the intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations that have responded positively and continue to respond to the humanitarian needs of Afghanistan, as well as to the Secretary- General and his Personal Representative for mobilizing and coordinating the delivery of appropriate humanitarian assistance,

Recalling the statements on Afghanistan of the President of the Security Council of 24 January, 23 March, 11 August and 30 November 1994, 2/

1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General and endorses the observations and recommendations set out therein;

2. Requests the Secretary-General to authorize the United Nations special mission to Afghanistan, established under resolution 48/208, to continue its efforts to facilitate national rapprochement and reconstruction in Afghanistan, in particular by promoting the earliest possible establishment of a fully representative and broad-based authoritative council with authority:

(a) To negotiate and oversee an immediate and durable cease-fire;

(b) To create and control a national security force to provide for security throughout the country and oversee the collection and safeguarding of all heavy weapons in the country;

(c) To form an acceptable transitional government, which could, inter alia, control the national security force, until conditions for free and fair elections are established throughout the country, possibly utilizing traditional decision-making structures, such as a grand assembly, to help establish those conditions;

3. Calls upon all Afghans, especially the leaders of warring parties, to agree on an immediate cease-fire and a speedy transfer of power and to support the special mission's efforts to facilitate national reconstruction, expedite the process leading to the speedy establishment of an acceptable transitional government and restore a fully representative and broad-based government for Afghanistan;

4. Calls upon all States:

(a) To respect Afghanistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity, strictly to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of Afghanistan and to respect the right of the Afghan people to determine their own destiny;

(b) To take all steps necessary to promote peace in Afghanistan, to stop the flow of weapons to the parties and to put an end to this destructive conflict;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to continue efforts to develop plans for national reconstruction and rehabilitation beginning in areas of peace and security, on the basis of the recommendations contained in his report;

6. Urgently appeals to all States, organizations and programmes of the United Nations system, specialized agencies and other intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to provide, on a priority basis, all possible financial, technical and material assistance for the restoration of the basic services and the reconstruction of Afghanistan and the resettlement of refugees and internally displaced persons, and appeals to the international financial and development institutions to assist in the planning of the reconstruction of Afghanistan;

7. Calls upon the international community to respond to the consolidated appeal for emergency humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan, launched by the Secretary-General for the period from 1 October 1994 to 30 September 1995, having in mind the availability of the Afghanistan Emergency Trust Fund;

8. Also requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its fiftieth session on the progress made in the implementation of the present resolution;

9. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fiftieth session the item entitled "Emergency international assistance for peace, normalcy and reconstruction of war-stricken Afghanistan".

93rd plenary meeting
20 December 1994


____________

1/ A/49/688.

2/ S/PRST/1994/4, 12, 43 and 77, respectively.


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