Assistance to the Palestinian people – Sec Gen – report )

ASSISTANCE TO THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE

Report of the Secretary-General

Addendum

The following information has been received from WHO, UPU and ITU on action taken by them in implementation of Economic and Social Council resolution 2100 (LXIIl).

World Health Organization

In resolution WHA31.38 the thirty-first World Health Assembly inter alia decided "that the Committee */ continue its task as defined by resolution by WHA26.56 by virtue of which it was.established and- subsequent resolutions and pursue its study of the health conditions of the Arab inhabitants of the occupied Arab territories;" and requested

"the Director-General to continue to provide the necessary funds to improve the health conditions of the Arab population in the occupied Arab territories, and to ensure the disbursement of the aforementioned funds under the direct supervision of the World Health Organization, through its representatives in the occupied Arab territories;" and  

"CALLED UPON the Director-General of the World Health Organization to exert all efforts in order to improve the health conditions of the Arab inhabitants in the occupied Arab territories, including Palestine, in accordance with the findings of the Special Committee of Experts and its recommendations, l/ that he make use of voluntary contributions from governments, governmental and non-governmental organizations and individuals for this purpose, and that he seek assistance in this respect from Arab organizations working in this field inside the occupied Arab territories without any intervention by the occupying authorities;".

In addition, WHO provided assistance, within the framework of World Health Assembly resolution WHA3O.37, and in particular of operative paragraph 7, as well as in the light of previous Health Assembly resolutions on the same subject and Economic and Social Council resolution 2100 (LXIIl).  The World Health Organization has taken.measures to carry out the mandate entrusted to it in three different ways. First, WHO has begun to implement a, programme of assistance consisting of furnishing health supplies and equipment for the benefit of the Palestinian population, particularly during recent events in Lebanon.  Second, WHO has arranged to finance part of the cost of a poliomyelitis vaccination control project for the local population in the occupied territories and will in the near future help to organize a course to train local personnel employed in the hospitals in these territories.  Third, a fellowship programme has been introduced to strengthen the knowledge of local personnel responsible for providing care to the Palestinian population,  several fellows are already following courses in the United Kingdom. The programme will be continued and intensified in 1978.

Universal Postal Union

1. In resolution 2100 (LXIIl) of  3 August 1977, the Economic and Social Council urged the specialized agencies and other organisations within the United Nations system to consult and co-operate closely with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), with a view to establishing and fully implementing concrete projects to ensure the improvement of the social and economic conditions of the Palestinian people.

2. Since the Palestine Liberation Organization is a member of the Arab Postal Union (APU),*/ the UPU International Bureau contacted APU in order to determine the possibilities of assisting Palestinian refugees, for example through fellowships for Palestinians wishing to take up a postal career. APU stated that PLO's membership of that small postal Union entitled it to benefit from all the forms of technical assistance which UPA could, directly or indirectly, obtain for it.  In the sphere of vocational training, in particular, 10 Palestinian students sponsored by PLO had been admitted for the academic year 1977-1978 to the Arab Higher Postal Institute, Damascus, where they would have the same advantages as other students.

3.  In addition, the UPU International Bureau has been in contact with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East COMMA) and made some suggestions concerning possible assistance to Palestinian refugees wishing to obtain postal training, for example through the establishment of an annual financial provision for the granting of several fellowships.  In order to enable the UPU International Bureau to take the necessary measures, it appeared desirable for the secretariat of UNRWA to inform it of specific needs in the field of postal training.

International Telecommunication Union

1. The Arab Regional Telecommunication Institute (ARTl) is in the process of being established to develop skilled human resources to form the nuclei of the telecommunication administrations of the Arab region. The ITU is assisting in the formation of this Institute. The PLO has been nominated as one of the seven members of the foundation committee (others are Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the Syrian Arab Republic) for the establishment of ARTI.

2. At the request of the Director of the PLO Observers Office at Geneva, ITU is negotiating with authorities in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to arrange for the training of Palestinian telecommunication technicians in the national training institutes of these two countries.

3. ITU has informed the PLO Observers Office at Geneva that ITU would be pleased to assist the Palestinian people in the matter of telecommunication development.

—-

*/ [Special Committee of Experts appointed to study the health conditions of the inhabitants of the occupied territories.]

1/ WHO document A31/37.

*/ UPA is a small Union established in accordance with article 8 of the Constitution of UPU. At present, its membership is as follows: People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, State of Bahrain, Arab  Republic of Egypt, Republic of Iraq., Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, State of Kuwait, Lebanese Republic, Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Kingdom of Morocco, Sultanate of Oman, Palestine Liberation Organization, State of Qatar, Somali Democratic Republic, Democratic Republic of the Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Republic of Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen Arab Republic and People's Democratic Republic of Yemen.

—–