-
166-353 (XIV). Least developed, land-locked, island and most seriously affected African countries 4e/
The Conference of Ministers,
Considering that the majority of the least developed, land-locked and most seriously affected countries ar~ in Africa,
ReCallin~United Nations recommendations and resolutions, particularly resolution ~5
4
(XXIV) of 13 December 1969 and 2b26 \XXV) of 24 October 1970 on international development strategy and 2803 (XXVI) of 14 December 1971 and 3202 (S-VI) of 1 May 1974, on the pro~rammeof action for establishing the new international economic order,Further recalling its resolutions 210 (IX), 222 (X), 232 (X) and 218 (X) and 236 (XI) of 13 February 1971 on Africa's Strategy for Development in the 1970s and the report of the n1neteenth meeting of the Executive Committee of the Commission, 19'(8, 49/
Bearing in mind the ongoing and planned activities assisted by the various agencies of the United Nations system in support of the development efforts of these countries,
Considering the need for fruitful co-operation among African countries during the Third United Nations Development Decade,
Having regard to the priority need of land~lockedand island countries for transport and cOllllJlunications to promote and expand their economic development,
Considering that inadequate Shipping links with island countries and high freight charges are obstacles to the growth of trade in land-locked and island countries,
1. Endorses the general resolutions and recommendations of the United Nations and the Economic Commission for Africa on the International Development Strategy and Africa's Development Strategy;
2. Calls on coastal and neighbouring land-locked countries to increase their erforts at co-operation in order to help in the search for SOlutions to the problems of opening up land-locked countries;
3. Invites the Executive Secretary, within the framework of Africa's Development Strategy, to draw up a special programme of aid and assistance to least developed, land-locked and island countries in line with their needs, particularly in the fieldS of transport, communications and trade;
4. Appeals to member States to take the necessary measures to ensure the success of ongoing bilateral and mul.ilateral negotiations ai~ed at facilitat-ing access to ports ror land-locked countries and goods transit facilities as well as appropriate application of customs charges;
48/ See paras. 38-::48 above.
49/ E/CN.14/723.
,._--- 167,._---
167-5. CaLls on the Executive Secretary to assist member States upon request in achieving the objectives set out in paragraph
4
above;6.
Invites the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa in co-operation with donor countries, international, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to give substantial aid to the least developedcountries, particularly land-locked and island countries, in their endeavours to open up their economies;
7.
~alls on all member countries to give their full support to the crash programme and the new programme of action for the 1980s adopted at the fourth Conference of Ministers of the Group of77
at Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania.207th meeting
27
March1979
-
Hi8-354 (XIV). Economic and social conditions in Africa 50/
The Conference of M1nisters,
hecalling General Assembly resolutions 2626 (JqV) of 24 October 19'rO
containing the International Development Strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade, 3201 (S-VI) and 3202 (S-VII) of 1 May 1974 on the establish-ment of a new international economic order and resolution 3281 (~X) of
12 December 1974 containing the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States, Also reCalling its own resolutions 218 (X) of 13 February 1971 and 238 (XI) of 22 F~bruary 1973 on Africa's Strategy for Development in the 197Us,
Hecal11ng further the "Revised framework of pr1nc1ples for the establish-ment of a new international economic order in Africa 5J1 approved at its fourth meeting held in Kinshasa and by the Assembly of Heads-of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity in Libreville,
Bearing in mind the Survey of Economic and Social Conditions in Africa 52/
prepared by the secretariao of the commission and the conclusions of the Addis Ababa Seminar on Alternative Patterns of Development and Life Styles in Africa 53/ and the Monrovia SymPOS1um, 54/
Also bearing in mind the need for African Governments to have a prospect1ve vision of African developmeno challenges with a view to reorganizing their
development effort accordingly,
Aware of the need for self-reliant and self-sustaining development in Africa based on the forces and resources available within the countries and geared to ensur1ng well-being and improving the quality of life, with special reference to the satisfaction of material and non-material needs,
1:
Recommends that member States should improve their economic, social and cultural structures based on the principle of self-reliant and sustaining development and growth so as to contribute effectively to the on-going activities to establish a new international economic order;2. Also recommends that greater emphasis be placed on development studies and research as a contribution to the preparation of medium-term and long-term development strategies;
3. Accordingly 1nvites member States to draw on the conclusions and suggestions of the Addis Ababa Seminar on Alternative Patterns of Development and Life Styles in Africa and the Monrovia f:lymposium on the Future DeVelopment Prospects of Africa towards the Year 200U when preparing their development strategies;
'jot See paras, 38-248 above.
51/ E/CN.14/ECO/90/Hev.3.
'j2/ E/CN.14/6n, parts I and II.
53/ E/CN.14/b98/Add.l.
54/ E/CN.14/698/Add.2.
, ,---_ ..
1,'-,
-
169-4.
Also reconnnends that member States should puruse their ef'forts to improve harmonious income distribution and employment creation and seek the best. ways and means of' encouraging the active and ef'f'ective participation of' all sectors of' the population in the development process with a view to promot-ing social justice;5.
Requests member States to improve the living conditions of the rural population in all development sectors for the purpose of eliminating the dJ.sparities between the urban and the rural areas;b. Requests member States to take measures to prevent the brain drain f'rom Af'rica to the developed countries and to encourage Af'rican cadres living abroad to return home.
207th meeting 27 March 1979
-
170-355
(XIV). Economic and technical co-operation among developing countries5)/
The Conference of Ministers,
Recalling General Assembly resolutions 3201 (S-VI) and 3202 (S-VI) of 1 May 1974 containing the Declaration and the Programme of Action on the Establishment of a ~ew International Economic Order,
Recalling also the Plans of Action of the Mexico Conference on Bconomic Co-operation among Developing Countries held in September 1976
)61
and the Buenos Aires Conference on Technical Co-operation among Developing Countries neld in September 197tl, 5'(1 as well as its own resolutions which have as their principal objectives the-rostering, development and the implementation of economic and technical co-operation among developing countries,Recalling further the various resolutions adopted at meetlngs held outside the United ~ations framework on economic and technical co-operation among
developing countries,
Recognizing the importance of economic and technical co-operation among developing countries as an instrument for collective self-reliance and for the attainment of the New International Economic Order,
Supporting the idea of the Multinational Programming and Operational Centres becoming the focal pOlnt for the combined efforts at the subregional level of all United Nations agencies and other multilateral organizations engaged in economic and technical co-operation activities in Africa,
Noting with appreciation the initiatives of the Executive Secretary in developing close links wlth the four other regional commissions to bring about
economic and technical co-operat10n among developing countries of the various regions,
1. Endorses resolution I CVII) on the ECA!ECLA Interregional Action Programme for the promotion of technical and economic co-operation between Africa and Latin America, adopted by the seventh session of the Conference of African Planners and annexed hereto;
2. Calls upon the Executive Secretary to intensify efforts for the foundation and implementation of similar action programmes with the Economic Connnission for Western Asia, the Economic and Social Comnri s si.on for Asia and the Pacific and the Economic cOIIIIIIission for Europe;
3. Welcomes the decision of the United Nations Development ProgrSlllllle to convene in 1980 an intergovernmental meeting of African experts to study concrete ways and means of promoting technical co-operation among developing countries in Africa;
551 See para", 306-326 above.
56/ A/C.2/31!7
and Add.l.51/
Uiited Natiotts pUblication, sales No. E.7B.ll, A.ll •.1 _
: !
171
-4. Urges all African Governments to participate actively in the prepara-tion of that meeting and in the meeting itself;
5. Reguests the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Conference on ~rade and Development as the responsible organizations for technical co-operatlon among developlng countrles and economlC co-operation among developing countries, as well as other United Nations agencies, to continue to promote and support economic and technical co-operation among developing
countries, by providing the necessary resources, both human and financial;
6.
Appeals to the Secretary-General of the United Nations to provide the resources required to enable the Commission to build a cadre of effective and efficient support staff at the Multinational Programming and Operational Centres;7. Appeals further to the Secretary-General of the United Nations to take the necessary steps to eliminate the very fine line of distinction between economic co-operation and technical co-operation by reviewing the presenc institu-tional machinery designed to deal with these areas of activlty.
201th meeting 27 March 19'79
-
172-Resolution 1 (VII). $CA/ECLA Interregional Action Programme for the promotlon of technical and economic co-operation between Africa and Latin America 58/
The Conference of African Planners,
Havlng examined the proposal submitted jointly by the Economic ,collllllission for Africa and the Economic Commission for Latin America for an ECA/ECLA
Interregional Action Programme for the promotion of technical and economic co-operation between Africa and Latin America, 59/
Recognizing that that proposal has been submitted pursuant to resolutions on interregional co-operation adopted by the policy organs of both regional commissions and by the General Assembly of the United Nations,
Recognizing further that the joint proposal is in the splrit and within the context of the Plan of Action adopted ny the United Nations Conference on Technical Co-operation among Developing Countries, held in Buenos Aires from 30 August to 12 September 1978, particularly as it relates to interregional co-operation,
1. Congratulates the ~ecutive Secretaries of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Economic cOllllllission for Africa on their initiatives;
2. En~orses the joint proposal contained 1n document E/CN.14/CAP.7/6 and recommends that it be used as a basis for formulation of a joint Interregional Action Programme between Africa and Latin America;
3. Recollllllends that African and Latin American countries share their planning experience inter al1a by:
(a) Attending each others' planners' conferences and seminars;
(b) Exchanging information on the institutional and legal machinery for importing technology and on contractual agreements with transnational corpora-tions on the transfer of technology, so that in the long run they can standardize their legislation and increase their collective bargaining power vis-a-vis the transnational corporations;
(c) EXChanging information on research and engineering activities to make it possible to establish a network for collecting and disseminating technological and scientific information;
\d) Concluding bilateral economic and technical co-operation agreements and establishing joint commissions to monitor their implementation;
(e) F~rmulating specific projects within selected sectors and seeking the necessary financial assistance from the United Nations Development Programme and/or other appropriate organizations;