Assistance to refugees in Somalia: resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

A/RES/40/132

Assistance to refugees in Somalia

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolutions 35/180 of 15 December 1980, 36/153 of 16 December 1981, 37/174 of 17 December 1982, 38/88 of 16 December 1983 and 39/104 of 14 December 1984 on the question of assistance to refugees in Somalia,

Having considered the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on assistance to refugees in Somalia, in particular section IV of that report,

Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General on assistance to refugees in Africa,

Deeply concerned that the refugee problem in Somalia has not yet been resolved,

Aware of the additional burden imposed by the new influx of refugees and the consequent urgent need for additional international assistance,

Aware of continuing and serious shortfalls in the provision of food assistance, which have resulted in dangerous ration restrictions, epidemics related to malnutrition, other shortages and extreme hardship in refugee camps in Somalia,

Recognizing from the recommendations contained in the report of the High Commissioner that there remains an urgent need for increased assistance in the provision of food, water and medicines, in the areas of transport and logistics, shelter and domestic items, construction, the strengthening of health and educational facilities, and the expansion of the number of self-help schemes and small-scale farming and settlement projects necessary for the promotion of self-reliance among the refugees,

Aware of the continued consequences of the social and economic burden placed on the Government and people of Somalia as a result of the continued presence of refugees and new refugee flows and the consequent impact on national development and the infrastructure of the country,

1. Takes note of the report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees;

2. Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for their continued efforts to mobilize international assistance on behalf of the refugees in Somalia;

3. Takes note with satisfaction of the assistance rendered to refugees in Somalia by various Member States, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the World Food Programme, the United Nations Children's Fund and other concerned intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations;

4. Appeals to Member States, international organizations and voluntary agencies to render maximum and timely material, financial and technical assistance to the Government of Somalia in its efforts to provide all necessary assistance to the refugees;

5. Appeals to the donor community to give urgent and favourable consideration to the development-related refugee projects submitted by the Government of Somalia to the Second International Conference on Assistance to Refugees in Africa, held at Geneva from 9 to 11 July 1984, and to fulfil the pledges undertaken at or after that Conference;

6. Requests the High Commissioner, in consultation with the Secretary-General, to apprise the Economic and Social Council, at its second regular session of 1986, of the refugee situation in Somalia;

7. Also requests the High Commissioner, in consultation with the Secretary-General, to submit to the General Assembly at its forty-first session a report on the progress achieved in the implementation of the present resolution..