Emergency assistance for South African refugee students

A/RES/31/126

31. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE THIRD COMMITTEE*

126. Emergency assistance for South African refugee students

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 31/6 1 of 9 November 1976 relating to the item entitled "Policies of apartheid of the Government of South Africa",

Noting, in particular, that paragraph 12 of the above-mentioned resolution calls upon Member States and the specialized agencies, through emergency joint projects and financial assistance, to help Lesotho and other countries bordering South Africa to ensure the provision of educational facilities to the rapidly growing number of refugee students from South Africa,

Concerned about the continuing influx of refugees, including in particular large numbers of South African students fleeing to the bordering States of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland, thus imposing a heavy burden on the limited resources and employment opportunities of these countries,

1. Reaffirms that humanitarian assistance by the international community to all those persecuted under repressive and discriminatory legislation in South Africa, Namibia and Southern Rhodesia is appropriate and essential;

2. Recognizes the urgent need to organize an effective programme of international assistance to help in dealing with the recent South African student refugee problem in countries bordering South Africa;

3. Requests the Secretary-General, as a matter of urgency, to consult with the Governments of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland and the liberation movements concerned with a view to taking immediate steps to organize and provide appropriate emergency financial and other forms of assistance for the care, subsistence and education of these refugee students;

4. Urges all States to respond generously to any appeals which the Secretary-General might make for assistance for these refugees;

5. Calls upon the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the United Nations Development Programme, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Trust Fund for South Africa, the United Nations Educational and Training Programme for Southern Africa and other United Nations bodies and organs, as may be appropriate, to co-operate fully with the Secretary-General in the implementation of the programme of assistance;

6. Requests the Secretary-General to keep the situation under review and to report to the General Assembly as and when necessary.

102nd plenary meeting
16 December 1976