General Assembly

Distr. GENERAL  

17 December 1982

ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH

                                               Resolution 37/159
                                               17 December 1982
 
          Assistance to the Gambia
 
          The General Assembly,
 
          Recalling its resolution 36/220 of 17 December 1981 in which it,
     inter alia, expressed its deep concern about the extensive destruction of
     life and property as well as the severe damage to infrastructure which
     were inflicted on the Gambia as the result of the events of 30 July 1981,
 
          Noting that the Gambia is a least developed country with acute
     economic and social problems arising from its weak economic
     infrastructure and that it also suffers from many of the serious problems
     common to countries of the Sahelian region, notably drought,
 
          Having considered the report of the Secretary-General on assistance
     for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Gambia,
 
          Noting that the economy of the Gambia is vulnerable to several
     factors that are entirely beyond the Government's control, such as the
     fall in prices and the volume of its exports,
 
          Noting also that declining revenues and rising costs have caused
     serious budgetary difficulties for the Government of the Gambia and that
     budget deficits continue to persist,
 
          Aware of the intention of the Government of the Gambia to organize,
     with the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme, a
     round-table conference of providers of funds early in 1983 in order to
     discuss the country's development needs and to consider ways and means of
     helping the Government in its efforts to meet those needs,
 
         1.    Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General for the
     steps he has taken to mobilize assistance for the Gambia;
 
         2.    Endorses the recommendations contained in the report of the
     Secretary-General and draws the attention of the international community
     to the requirements of assistance for the projects and programmes
     identified therein;
 
         3.    Expresses its appreciation to those States and organizations
     which have provided assistance to the Gambia;
 
         4.    Renews its urgent appeal to all Member States, the specialized
     agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, as well as
     international development and financial institutions, to contribute
     generously, through bilateral or multilateral channels, to the
     rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Gambia;
 
         5.    Calls upon regional and interregional organizations and other
     intergovernmental bodies and non-governmental organizations, as well as
     international development and financial institutions, to provide
     financial, technical and material assistance for the implementation of
     the projects and programmes recommended in the annex to the report of the
     Secretary-General;
 
         6.    Urges Member States, organizations and programmes of the United
     Nations system, regional and interregional bodies, financial and
     development institutions and intergovernmental and non-governmental
     organizations to respond generously to the needs of the Gambia at the
     round-table conference to be held in Banjul early in 1983;
 
         7.    Requests the appropriate organizations and programmes of the
     United Nations system - in particular the United Nations Development
     Programme, the United Nations Children's Fund, the World Food Programme,
     the World Health Organization, the United Nations Industrial Development
     Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
     and the International Fund for Agricultural Development - to increase
     their current and future programmes of assistance to the Gambia, to
     co-operate closely with the Secretary-General in organizing an effective
     international programme of assistance and to report periodically to him
     on the steps they have taken and the resources they have made available
     to assist that country;
 
         8.    Invites the United Nations Development Programme, the United
     Nations Children's Fund, the World Food Programme, the World Health
     Organization, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the
     Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Bank
     and the International Fund for Agricultural Development to bring to the
     attention of their governing bodies, for their consideration, the special
     needs of the Gambia and to report the decisions of those bodies to the
     Secretary-General in time for the consideration of the question by the
     General Assembly at its thirty-eighth session;
 
         9.    Requests the Secretary-General:
 
          (a)  To continue his efforts to mobilize the necessary resources for
     an effective programme of financial, technical and material assistance to
     the Gambia;
 
          (b)  To keep the situation in the Gambia under constant review, to
     maintain close contact with Member States, the specialized agencies,
     regional and other intergovernmental organizations and the international
     financial institutions concerned, and to apprise the Economic and Social
     Council, at its second regular session of 1983, on the status of the
     special programme of economic assistance for the Gambia;
 
          (c)  To report of the progress made in the economic situation of the
     Gambia in organizing and implementing the special programme of economic
     assistance for that country in time for the matter to be considered by
     the General Assembly at its thirty-eighth session.