Urqes member States to continue to translate into concrete programmes and projects the recommendations on food and agriCUlture contained in the

the

scientific food and

Aware of the fact that some modest breakthroughs achieved in agricultural research in some parts of Africa have not been widely publicized for the information and necessary action of other African countries,

Having Mobilization in Africa,

considered the report of the secretariat on the International of finaLcial and technological resources for food and agriculture

Notinq with satisfaction the decision of the General Assembly by its resolution 38/198 of 20 December 1983 to designate the year 1991 as the International Year for the Mobilization of Financial and Technological Resources to Increase Food and Agricultural Production in Africa bearing in mind the relevant criteria set forth in the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/67 of 25 July 1980,.

1. Takes note of the report;

2. Reaffirms the individual and collective Governments to the full implementation of Africa's Economic Recovery, 1986-1990 which focuses on food and 3. Reaffirms also the collective commitment Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and which also focuses on food and agriCUlture;

commitment of African Priority Programme for agriculture; 14/

to the United Nations Development, 1986-1990,

4. Urqes member States to continue to translate into concrete programmes and projects the recommendations on food and agriCUlture contained in the Priority Programme and the United Nations Programme of Action and especially

to:

(a ) Increase the share of pUblic expenditure allocated to agriculture to attain a target of 20-25 per cent of aggregate pubLLc investment by the year 1989 where this has not already been done,

14/ Morocco expressed reservation on operative paragraph 2 of this

re~olution.

I P

(b) Intensify efforts in agricultural research and training with a view to developing appropriate technology for food and agriculture in Africa and in this regard, allocate on a sustained basis between 10 and 20 per cent of the total public expenditure to agriculture, agricultural development research training and extension:

(c) Publicize in information regarding parts of Africa for international research

the scientific literature and other relevant media, research breakthroughs in their countries or other the interest of member countries and subregional and organizations;

5~ Urqes national, sUbregional and regional agricultural research institutes to co-ordinate their activi..ties and to co-operate with each other in the exchange of information regarding their research activities;

6.

the Food necessary national,

Requests the Economic Commission for Africa in collaboration with and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to take all measures to facilitate and ensure effective co-operation among subregional and international research institutions in Africa;

7. Calls 09 the International Community to give aid programme to the agriculture sector in Africa agricultural research and technology development:

high priority in their and in particular to

8.. Urges the Secretary-General to put forward concrete proposals to the General Assembly which would ensure the success of the International Year for Africa and effectively mobilize the necessary financial and technological resources to increase food and agricultural production in Africa ..

.251st rneetina, 24 April 1987.

599 (XXII). Convenina of a meeting of African experts prior to the Diplomatic Conference to review the United Nations Convention on a Code of Conduct for Liner Conferences

.The Conference of Ministers,

Considering the important contribution made by foreign trade to the development of Africa~ countries,

Desirous of ensuring an increase i" this foreign trade,

Conscious of the fact that almost 90 per cent of the value of this trade is effected through maritime transport,

Takinq into account the fact that from 1980 till now, African countries control only 1 per cent of the world maritime tonnage, whereas the ideal percentage accordin, to a realistic interpretation of the objectives of the

United Nations International Development Strategy for the Third United Nations Development Decade

!21

121

Notina on the one hand that liner shipping absorbs the bulk of maritime traffic of value to African countries, and on the other hand, that the efficiency of maritime services in Africa has been severely affected by the abusive practices of foreign monopolies which still control of good part of this transport subsector,

Notina also with satisfaction that since 1974 the international community has reoulated almost all maritime liner services with a view to eliminating its numerous abusive conference practices and has made it possible for developing countries. desirous of establishing a merchant liner fleet, to secure a reasonable proportion of this traffic for their shipping companies,

Aware of Africa's interest in this agreement in which 28 African countries are contracting parties,

Bearina in mind the fact that the Code of Conduct of Maritime Conferences, as an instrument for ending these conference practices, is in fact likely to lose its real significance on account of the radical differences of interpretation observed in its implementation among developed and underdeveloped countries in terms of maritime sezvices,

Aware that the weakening of the Code is detrimental to African interests in this sector,

Desirous on the one hand to safeguard African solidarity during the next Diplomatic Conference to review this international agreement which is scheduled to take place towards the end of 1988; ana on the other hand to ensure that the revised instrument includes, inter alia, an African dimension,

1. Reauests the Executive Secretary in collaboration with the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity, the Secretary-General of the Ministerial Conference of West and Central African States on Maritime Transport and the Secretary-General of the Intergovernmental Standing Committee on Shipping, and other interested organizations to organize, early in 1988, an intergovernmental meeting of African experts, prior to the Diplomatic Conference to review the Code scheduled for 1989 and to present a report on the meeting to the next session of the Conference of ~nisters;

2. Invites ~ember States to actively participate at the highest possible level in the preparatory meeting.

25lst meetina, 24 April 1987.

15/ General Assembly resolution 35/56 of 24 October 1980, annex.

l§/ ECA's estimate.

129

-600 (XXII). Information systems development in Africa The Conference of Ministers,

Recallinq its resolution 359 (XIV) of 27 March 1979 on the establishment of a Data Bank,

Recallinq also its resolution 366 (XV) of 12 April 1980 on the Pan-African Documentation and Information System (PADIS),

Notina the importance for member States of the need to generate comparative data and information on economic recovery and development for the implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action for African Economic Recovery and Development, 1986-1990,

l2/

Recoqnizina the ever-pressing need for member States to have immediate access to national and comparative data and information on economic and social development for planning and decision-making,

Cognizant of the problems hindering the efficient organization and delivery of information services at national, subregional and regional levels,

Recognizina that incompatible information collection and classification methods and poor communications mechanisms have hampered inter-country exchange of development information and experience,

Notinq the recommendation of the PADIS Regional Technical Committee concerning a study on the adaptation of PADIS to changing realities,

of and

Notinq also with satisfaction SUbregional documentation and Southern and North Africa,

the steps taken towards the establishment information centres in Central, Eastern

Notinq further with satisfaction the progress made in the implementation of the PADIS programme,

1-Technical PADIS work therein;

Adopts the report of the third meeting of the PADIS Regional Committee and takes note of its recommendations as well as the plan for 1987-1988 and strateqies for the period 1987-1991 contained

2. Calls upon the Government of