A/RES/37/144 GA

V. Resolutions adopted on the reports of the Second Committee 117 1. Takes note with satisfaction of the report prepared by the Joint Inspection Unit,31 and of the comments of the Secretary-General thereon, 32 which_, inter a_lia, ~upport t~e new directions of the United Nations Umversity and its broader intellectual concerns as reflected in its medium-term perspective ( 1982-1987) under the following five themes: (a) Peace, security, conflict resolution and global transformation; (b) Global economy; (c) Hunger, poverty, resources and the environment; (d) Human and social development and coexistence of peoples, cultures and social systems; (e) Science and technology and their social and ethical implications; 2. Notes with satisfaction that, with the adoption of the medium-term perspective, a renewed emphasis has been placed on the multidisciplinary and integrative appro~ch to the search for solutions to urgent global problems, m ac- cordance with the Charter of the United Nations University; 3. Also notes with satisfaction that, in keeping with its philosophy of continuity with change, the (!nited N~ti?ns University has maintained its momentum m the ongmal programmes and enlarged on the foundations built in the early years; 4. Welcomes the fact that research, post-graduate train- ing and the dissemination of knowledge will be covered under the medium-term perspective as a single programme of the United Nations University with subprogrammes re- sponding to the five themes; 5. Notes with satisfaction the increasing co-operative activities of the United Nations University with the United Nations, its organs and agencies, particularly United Nations research and training institutions, and urges the University to continue to strengthen its co-_ope_rati_on, and the co-ordination of its activities, with those mstttuttons and the appropriate organiz~tional units <;>f the. Un~ted Na~ions Secretariat, as well as its collaborat10n with mtemat1onal academic and scientific organizations; 6. Encourages the United Nations University to explore and expand innovative, fruitful and varied institu~io~al re- lationships in accordance with its Ch_arter, to assist m ~he effective implementation of the medmm-term pers_pec_tive and achieve wider outreach and increased decentrahzat10n, ensuring the continuing growth of vigorous . academi_c and scientific communities everywhere and particularly m the developing countries; 1. Welcomes the increased attention being given by the United Nations University to the activities related to the dissemination of knowledge, including its own research findings, referred to in its Charter and, as a consequence, the promotion of a more informed awareness of global prob- lems among all sectors and levels <_)f the world co~mu!lity through the use of the new information and commumcat10ns technology now available; 8. Recognizes that, over the medium term, the United Nations University needs to build up its Endowment Fund and other contributions in order to increase its core income; 9. Earnestly appeals to all Member States to take cog- nizance of the important developments at the United Natio~s University and to contribute urgently and gei:ierously to its Endowment Fund and, additionally or alternatively, to make operating contributions to the University to enable it to fulfil effectively its global mandate. ,2 A/37/111/Add. I. 109th plenary meeting 17 December /982 37/144. Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator The General Assembly, Recalling its resolution 36/225 of 17 December 1981 : by which it reaffirmed the mandate of the Office of the Umted Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator and called for the strengthening and improvement of the capacity and effec- tiveness of the Office, Recalling also its resolution 35! l 07 of 5 ~ecember ! 980, by which it reaffirmed the necessity of ensunng_ a contu~ued sound financial basis for the Office of the Umted Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator and extended until 31 Decem- ber 1983 the term of the Trust Fund established pursuant to its resolution 3243 (XXIX) of 29 November 1974 and mod- ified under its resolutions 3440 (XXX) of 9 December 1975 and 3532 (XXX) of 17 December 1975 and by its decision 33/429 of 19 December 1978, Recalling further its resolution ~4/55 of ~9 November 1979, by which it requested an m~r~ase m emergency disaster assistance, with a normal ceiling of $30,000 per country in the case of any one disaster, Deeply concerned about the ad~itional e~onomi~ burden placed upon the developing countn~s by th~ mci:easmg num- ber of natural disasters and other disaster situations, as well as the disruption caused to their development process, Recognizing the contribution made by th~ _lJnited Natio~s system to the relief of suffering and prov1s10n of h~mam- tarian assistance in natural disasters and other disaster situations, Recognizing also that the primary responsibilities of a~- ministration, relief operations and disaster p~eparedness he with the affected countries and that the maJor part of the material assistance and human effort in disaster relief comes from the Governments of those countries, Recognizing further the importance of the contribution of the International Committee of the Red Cross, the League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and appropriate voluntary organizations, Recognizing that, in order to attai~ an effe~tive ~o- ordination system of humanitarian and_ disaster rehef ass1~t- ance, it is essential to strengthen and improve the capacity and effectiveness of the Office of the United Nations Dis- aster Relief Co-ordinator and the United Nations system as a whole in order to enable the Office to respond to natural disasters and other disaster situations speedily, efficiently and effectively, thereby ensuring prompt delivery of con- certed relief, Recognizing that a major constraint o~ an effective re- sponse of the United Nations to natural disasters and other disaster situations has been the shortage of resources, I. Takes note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator33 and of the statement made by the Co-ordinator before the Second Committee on 2 November I 982;34 2. Takes note of the progress made by the Secretary- General and the Administrative Committee on Co-ordination in initiating improvements in the management operati<_)ns of the Office of the United Nations Disaster ReliefCo-ordmator and in establishing modalities for the implementation of the procedures, outlined in General Ass~~bly _resolution. 36/ 225 and decision 1982/ I of the Admmistrat1ve Committee on Co-ordination, for dealing with requests for disaster relief n A/37/235 and Corr. I. ' 4 Official Records of the Gn1era/ Assemhh· Thirr, ,. • Second Commillee. 27th mcctrn,~. i' ,,,,, : · 118 General Assembly-Thirty-seventh Session from a disaster-stricken State and for dealing with complex disasters and emergencies of exceptional magnitude; 3. Takes note of the appreciation expressed by the Gov- ernments of Chad and Lebanon for the activities undertaken by the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator in those two countries, and requests him to continue his action in response to needs as they arise; 4. Requests the Secretary-General to facilitate, when necessary, rapid appointment of temporary staff and pro- curement of supplies by the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator in order to permit a timely response to requests for emergency assistance; 5. Requests the Secretary-General to raise the normal maximum of $30,000 to $50,000, the additional $20,000 to come from voluntary sources, to permit the United Na- tions Disaster Relief Co-ordinator to respond with grants to requests for emergency disaster assistance up to a total of $600,000 in any one year, with a normal ceiling of $50,000 per country in the case of any one disaster; 6. Authorizes the Secretary-General to permit the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator to mobilize additional voluntary resources to meet the needs presented by complex disasters and emergencies of exceptional magnitude; 7. Decides to maintain, as from I January 1984, the Trust Fund of the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator and its sub-accounts; 8. Reiterates, in particular, the appeals made in its res- olutions 35/107 and 36/225 for increased contributions to the Trust Fund established pursuant to its resolution 3243 (XXIX) and modified as indicated in the second preambular paragraph and in paragraph 7 above; 9. Endorses the measures taken by the Secretary- General and the Administrative Committee on Co-ordination to implement General Assembly resolution 36/225 and calls upon the Secretary-General, who will normally be repre- sented by the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator, to consult with the concerned agencies of the United Nations system in order to develop concerted relief programmes as a basis for united appeals for funds to be launched by the Co-ordinator on behalf of the Secretary-General; 10. Reiterates its desire further to strengthen and im- prove the capability of the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator to take full advantage of in- formation provided by existing early-warning systems and to co-ordinate, to the extent feasible and useful, all relevant early-warning systems, taking into account new technolog- ical developments in this field, including communications; 11. Urges all Governments and relevant organs and or- ganizations to co-operate with the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator and to improve in particular their flow of information on relief assistance, actions and plans; 12. Calls upon the specialized agencies and other constituent organizations of the United Nations system, in order to eliminate wasteful duplication of resources, to co- ordinate, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 3 of General Assembly resolution 36/225, their efforts at all stages of the response of the international community to natural disasters and other disaster situations; 13. Reaffirms its belief that the strengthening and rein- forcing of the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator offers the most efficient and economic means of effectively co-ordinating the relief activities of the United Nations system as a whole in the interest of the survivors of disasters, and requests the Secretary-General to assign a higher priority to strengthening, preferably within the means \! his disposal, the financial and manpower resources of the Office; 14. Requests the Secretary-General to submit a com- prehensive report on the implementation of General Assem- bly resolution 36/225, including a report on the imple- mentation of the present resolution, to the Assembly at its thirty-eighth session, through the Economic and Social Council at its second regular session of 1983. 109th plenary meeting 17 December 1982 37/145. Assistance for the reconstruction, rehabilita- tion and development of the Central African Republic The General Assembly. Recalling its resolutions 35/87 of 5 December 1980 and 36/206 of 17 December 1981, in which it affirmed the urgent need for international action to assist the Government of the Central African Republic in its reconstruction, rehabilitation and development efforts and invited the international com- munity to provide sufficient resources to carry out the pro- gramme of assistance to the Central African Republic, Noting the statement made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation of the Central Af- rican Republic before the General Assembly on 13 October 1982, 35 in which he described the serious economic and financial problems of the country and observed that the situation had not improved, owing to the insufficiency of financial resources, and that external assistance continued to be essential, Noting also the statement made by the representative of the Central African Republic before the Second Committee on 4 November I 982, 36 according to which the response of the international community to the urgent appeal of the General Assembly had not been adequate to meet the needs of the situation, Bearing in mind that the Central African Republic is land- locked and is classified as one of the least developed countries, Recalling the Substantial New Programme of Action for the 1980s for the Least Developed Countries, 37 which called for increased aid to these countries, Particularly concerned that the Government of the Cen- tral African Republic is unable to provide the population with adequate health, educational and other essential social and public services because of an acute shortage of financial and material resources, Noting with satisfaction the considerable efforts exerted by the Government and people of the Central African Republic for national reconstruction, rehabilitation and de- velopment despite the limitations confronting them, Having examined the report of the Secretary-General,38 to which is annexed the report of the mission which was present in the Central African Republic during the period from 13 to 17 June 1982 to carry out a study of the economic situation and the progress being made in organizing and carrying out the special economic assistance programme for that country, in accordance with General Assembly reso- lution 36/206, Noting that, according to that report, the budgetary sit- uation of the Central African Republic continues to make 35 Ibid., Plenary Meetings, 29th meeting, paras. 21-52. 36 lbid., Second Committee, 31st meeting, paras. 22-30. "Report of the United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, Paris, 1-14 September 1981 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.82.1.8), part one, sect. A. 38 A/37/131.

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