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
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1/ A/49/688.
2/ S/PRST/1994/4, 12, 43 and 77, respectively.