International Conference on the Plight of Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons in Southern Africa: resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

A/RES/43/116

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 42/106 of 7 December 1987 on the convening of an International Conference on the Plight of Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons in Southern Africa,

Gravely concerned about the constant deterioration of the situation in southern Africa arising from the domination and oppression of the peoples of South Africa and Namibia by the minority racist regime of South Africa,

Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on the International Conference on the Plight of Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons in Southern Africa, held at Oslo from 22 to 24 August 1988, and the Oslo Declaration and Plan of Action on the Plight of Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons in Southern Africa adopted by the Conference and contained in the annex to that report,

Taking note with appreciation of the active participation of His Excellency General Moussa Traore, President of the Republic of Mali and current Chairman of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity, His Excellency Mr. Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Chairman of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, and Her Excellency Mrs. Gro Harlem Brundtland, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway, at the Conference,

Aware of the valuable contribution made by the Governments of Norway and the other Nordic countries to the successful convening of the Conference,

Recognizing the importance of the financial and technical assistance provided by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme to the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity in the preparation and organization of the Conference,

Noting with satisfaction the successful outcome of the Conference,

Conscious of its responsibility to provide economic, material and humanitarian assistance to independent States in southern Africa in order to assist them in coping with the situation resulting from the acts of aggression and destabilization committed by the apartheid regime of South Africa,

Noting the absence of an operational mechanism within the United Nations system dealing specifically with the problems of assistance to internally displaced persons,

Noting with indignation that South Africa's policy of apartheid, its illegal occupation of Namibia, and its direct and indirect acts of aggression, intimidation and destabilization through armed terrorists continue to be the main causes of refugee flows and increasing displacement of persons in southern Africa,

Convinced that there is an urgent need for the international community to extend maximum and concerted assistance to southern African countries sheltering refugees, returnees and displaced persons and also to highlight the plight of these persons,

1. Takes note with satisfaction of the report of the Secretary-General on the International Conference on the Plight of Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons in Southern Africa;

2. Endorses the Oslo Declaration and Plan of Action on the Plight of Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons in Southern Africa adopted by the Conference;

3. Calls upon the international community to provide increased assistance to the countries of southern Africa to enable them to strengthen their capacity to provide the necessary facilities and services for the care and well-being of the refugees, returnees and displaced persons in their countries;

4. Reiterates its appreciation to the Secretary-General for his efforts, on behalf of the international community, to organize and mobilize special programmes of economic assistance for the front-line and other neighbouring States to help them to withstand the effects of the acts of aggression and destabilization committed by the apartheid regime of South Africa;

5. Requests the Secretary-General, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme to implement those specific tasks and responsibilities assigned to them in the Oslo Declaration and Plan of Action;

6. Requests the Secretary-General to undertake studies and consultations in order to consider the need for the establishment, within the United Nations system, of a mechanism or arrangement to ensure the implementation and overall co-ordination of relief programmes to internally displaced persons;

7. Urges all Member States, organizations of the United Nations system and governmental and non-governmental organizations to undertake the measures required of them under the Oslo Declaration and Plan of Action;

8. Expresses its gratitude to the Government of Norway for acting as host to the Conference, and to all the Nordic countries for their generous assistance towards the convening of the Conference;

9. Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme for the valuable assistance that they provided to the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity in the organization of the Conference;

10. Commends the Organization of African Unity for having convened the Conference and for focusing the attention of the international community on the grave humanitarian problems of the southern African region;

11. Decides to consider this question at its forty-fourth session on the basis of a report to be submitted by the Secretary-General.