Fifty-fifth session

Agenda item 20 (b)

Strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and
disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including
special economic assistance: special economic assistance
to individual countries or regions

Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, China, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Swaziland, Tunisia, Togo, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe: draft resolution  

Assistance for humanitarian relief and the economic and social rehabilitation of Somalia 

           The General Assembly,

           Recalling its resolutions 43/206 of 20 December 1988, 44/178 of 19 December 1989, 45/229 of 21 December 1990, 46/176 of 19 December 1991, 47/160 of 18 December 1992, 48/201 of 21 December 1993, 49/21 L of 20 December 1994, 50/58 G of 20 December 1995, 51/30 G of 13 December 1996, 52/169 L of 16 December 1997, 53/1 M of 8 December 1998 and 54/96 D of 8 December 1999 as well as the resolutions and decisions of the Economic and Social Council on emergency assistance to Somalia,

           Recalling also Security Council resolution 733 (1992) of 23 January 1992 and all subsequent relevant resolutions, in which the Council, inter alia, urged all parties, movements and factions in Somalia to facilitate the efforts of the United Nations, its specialized agencies and humanitarian organizations to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the affected population in Somalia and reiterated the call for the full respect of the security and safety of the personnel of those organizations and guarantee of their complete freedom of movement in and around Mogadishu and other parts of Somalia,

           Recalling further the statement by the President of the Security Council of 29 June 2000[1] in which, inter alia, the Security Council expressed its full support for the efforts exerted by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development to find a political solution to the situation in Somalia, underlined the importance of the widest participation of the representatives of all parts of the Somali society, strongly urged representatives of all social and political forces of the Somali society to participate actively, urged the warlords and faction leaders to desist from obstructing and undermining efforts to achieve peace and urged all States to stop providing these individuals with the means to carry on their destructive activities,

           Noting the cooperation among the United Nations, the Organization of African Unity, the League of Arab States, the European Union, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the countries members of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and its Partners Forum, the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries and others in their efforts to resolve the humanitarian, security and political crisis in Somalia,

           Noting with appreciation the continued efforts made by the Secretary-General to assist the Somali people in their efforts to promote peace, stability and national reconciliation,

           Commending the initiative of the President of Djibouti aiming at restoring peace and stability in Somalia and noting with appreciation the efforts of the Government and peoples of the Republic of Djibouti in hosting and facilitating the Somali National Reconciliation Conference, held in Arta, the Republic of Djibouti,

           Welcoming the outcome of the Arta peace process, led by Djibouti and sponsored by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, which provides for the establishment of a transitional national parliament and the formation of a transitional national government,

           Noting with appreciation that the mandate provided in the three-year transitional national charter emphasizes priorities, including reconciliation, demobilization of armed militia, restitution of properties to their lawful owners, conduct of a national census, formulation of a new constitution, democratization, rehabilitation, recovery and reconstruction,

           Welcoming the efforts of the transitional Government of Somalia to promote national reconciliation within Somalia, recognizing that progress has been achieved in some regions in re-establishing economic and administrative stability and encouraging the peaceful cooperation of all political groups with the new transitional Government towards this end,

           Noting with concern that the lack of effective civil institutions in Somalia continues to impede sustained comprehensive development and that, while the environment has become more conducive to some reconstruction and development-oriented work in certain parts of the country, the humanitarian and security situation has remained fragile in other parts,

           Reaffirming its support for the joint strategy and targeted assistance of the United Nations system that is focused on the rehabilitation and reconstruction of infrastructure and on sustainable community-based activities, as well as the importance it attaches to the need for effective coordination and cooperation among the United Nations agencies and their partners,

           Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General on assistance for humanitarian relief and the economic and social rehabilitation of Somalia,[2]

           Deeply appreciative of the humanitarian assistance and rehabilitation support rendered by a number of States and relevant organizations to alleviate the hardship and suffering of the affected Somali population,

           Recognizing that, while the humanitarian situation remains fragile in some parts of Somalia, there is need to continue the ongoing rehabilitation and reconstruction process alongside the national reconciliation process, without prejudice to the provision of emergency relief assistance wherever and whenever required, as security allows,

           Noting with appreciation that the prospects for humanitarian, rehabilitation and development activities have been more favourable in some parts of the country, owing to the formation of stronger administrative structures, the commitment shown to re-establishing the rule of law in general, and the leadership shown by some regional authorities and by the civil society groups in attempting to establish an inclusive alternative to the faction-ridden past of Somalia,

           Noting with appreciation also the efforts of the United Nations system aimed at working directly with Somali communities at the local level, whenever possible, and emphasizing the need for coordination with the transitional Government and with local and regional authorities,

           Welcoming the continued focus of the United Nations, in partnership with Somali elders, other local leaders and skilled local counterparts at the grass-roots level and non-governmental organizations on a programme of assistance, including both humanitarian and developmental approaches, given the varying conditions in different areas,

           Re-emphasizing the importance of the further implementation of its resolution 47/160 to rehabilitate basic social and economic services at the local and regional levels throughout the country,

           1.        Expresses its gratitude to all States and the intergovernmental and non‑governmental organizations that have responded to the appeals of the Secretary-General and others by extending assistance to Somalia;

           2.        Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General for his continued and tireless efforts to mobilize assistance to the Somali people;

           3.        Welcomes the ongoing efforts of the United Nations, the Organization of African Unity, the League of Arab States, the European Union, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the countries members of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and its Partners Forum, the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries and others to resolve the situation in Somalia;

           4.        Welcomes also the strategy of the United Nations focusing on the implementation of community-based interventions aimed at rebuilding local infrastructure and increasing the self-reliance of the local population, and the ongoing efforts by the United Nations agencies, their Somali counterparts and their partner organizations to establish and maintain close coordination and cooperation mechanisms available for the implementation of relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction programmes;

           5.        Notes with appreciation the holistic and prioritized approach of the United Nations system to addressing the continuing crisis in some parts of Somalia, while making long-term commitments to rehabilitation, recovery and development activities in more stable parts;

           6.        Emphasizes the principle that the Somali people have the primary responsibility for their own development and for the sustainability of rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance programmes, and reaffirms the importance it attaches to the creation of workable arrangements for collaboration between the United Nations system and its partner organizations and their Somali counterparts for the effective execution of rehabilitation and development activities in those parts of the country in which peace and security prevail;

           7.        Urges all States and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations concerned to continue to implement further its resolution 47/160 in order to assist the Somali people in embarking on the rehabilitation of basic social and economic services, as well as institution-building aimed at the restoration of civil administration at all levels in all parts of the country in which peace and security prevail;

           8.        Strongly urges all political groups in Somalia, in particular those which have remained outside the Arta peace process, to participate in the ongoing peace process and to establish a constructive dialogue with the new transitional Government, in order to achieve national reconciliation that allows for transition from relief to reconstruction and development and preserves economic and administrative progress achieved in many regions;

           9.        Calls upon all parties, individual political leaders and factions in Somalia to respect fully the security and safety of personnel of the United Nations and the specialized agencies and of non-governmental organizations, and to guarantee their complete freedom of movement and safe access throughout Somalia;

           10.      Calls upon the Secretary-General to continue to mobilize international humanitarian, rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance for Somalia;

           11.      Calls upon the international community to provide continuing and increased assistance in response to the United Nations Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance for Somalia, covering the period from October 2000 to December 2001;

           12.      Requests the Secretary-General, in view of the critical situation in Somalia, to take all necessary measures for the implementation of the present resolution and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its fifty-sixth session.

                                      _______________

                     Addendum

Add the following countries to the list of sponsors of the draft resolution:

                     Belgium, Djibouti, Eritrea and Ireland