A/RES/40/56 GA

26 General Assembly-Fortieth Session . Gra_vely_ concer!'ed that, even if the current emergency s1tuat1on 1s allev1ated, the structural economic problems ~1~ continue to crip_ple African economies and might pre- c1p1tate recurrent cnses, Alarmed by_ the forecasts that indicate for Africa stag- nant or_ negat1ve S!"owth rates, declining per capita food product1on, escalatmg debt burden and the serious effects of drought and desertification, Recognizing fully the need to focus attention and elforts on the rehabilitation and medium-term and long-term development problems of the African countries, l. Takes note ofthe Declaration on the Economic Situ- ation in Africa and Africa's Priority Programme for Eco- nomic Recovery 1986-1990, adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Govemment of the Organization of African Unity at its twenty-first session; 2. Decides to convene a special session of the General A~~mbly at the ministerial leve) to consider in depth the cnt1cal economic situation in Africa, to be held in New York from 27 to 3 I May I 986; 3. Decides a/so that the special session of the General Assembly on the critica) economic situation in Africa should focus, ~~ a ~omprehensive and integrated manner, on the rehab1htat1on and medium-term and Iong-term developmen~ pro~lems and challenges facing African co~ntnes, with a v1ew to promoting and adopting action- onented and concerted measures; 4. Decides further to establish a Preparatory Commit- tee of the Whole for the Special Session of the General Assembly on the Critica! Economic Situation in Africa that would undertake the necessary preparations to ensure the success of the session; 5. Requests the Secretary-General to take appropriate m~sures to facilitate the work of the Preparatory Com- m1ttee; 6. furthe~ requests the Secretary-General, in close co- ope~atlon with the relevant organs, organizations and bod1es ofthe United Nations system, to submit to the Pre- para~ory ~mmittee and to the General Assembly at its spec1al sess101;1 reports _c~mtaining action-oriented propo- sals to deal with the cnt1cal economic situation in Africa particularly the major developmental areas identified i~ the Declaration on the Critical Economic Situation in ~frica annexed to Assembly resoluiirin 39/29, taking fully mto account the priorities set by the- Assembly ofHeads of Sta!e an~ Govemment of the Organization of African Umty at 1ts twenty-first session; 7. Commends the intemational community for its val- ~ble ~uppo~ and positive response to the emergency situ- at1on m Afnca, and appeals to it to continue these efforts an~ to give its support for the full implementation of reso- lut1on 39/29 and the Declaration annexed thereto; 8. Commends the Secretary-General for bis valuable eft'orts in ensuring the co-ordinated response ofthe United Nations system and the international community to the emergency situation in Africa; 9. Requests the Secretary-General, in implementing reso~ution 39/29_ and the Declaration annexed the~lP., to contmue to morutor the emergency situation, to asse$S the needs and responses, to maintain the system's capacity to respon~ to the continuing emergency in the aft'ected countnes, and to report to the General Assembly at its forty-ñrst session. 98th p/enary meeting 2 December 1985 37 (!ffeia/ Rrcord~ o/ the General Assembly, Fortieth Session, Plenarv Meetmgs, 36th meeting. • 40/56. Twenty-fifth anniversary of the Dedaradon on the Grandn1 of lndependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples The General Assembly, Recal/ing the Declaration on the Granting of Indepen- dence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, contained in its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, Having held, in the year of the fortieth anniversary of the United Nations, a special plenary meeting in observ- ance of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Declaration on the Granting of lndependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples,37 Recalling the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations, in which the peoples of the world proclaimed their determination to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small and to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom, Recal/ing a/so the relevant provisions ofthe Declaration on Pi:ínciples of International Law concerning Friendly R~Iauons and Co-operation among States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, 38 Reca/ling its resolutions 2621 (XXV) of 12 October 1970, containing the programme of action for the full implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and 35/ 118 of 11 December 1980, the annex to which contains the Plan of Action for the Full lmplementation ofthe Declara- tion, Considering that the process of national liberation is irresistible and irreversible, and recalling that the Declara- tion so_l~mnly proclaimed the necessity speedily and uncond1tlonally to put an end to colonialism in all its forms and manifestations, Recognizing the significant and commendable role played by the United Nations, since its very inception in the. field . of d~colonization and noting the emerge~ce, dunng th1s penod, of about one hundred States into sov- ereign existence, Noting with satisfaction, in particular, that during the past twenty-five years a large number of former colonial Territories have ~chiev~d independence, mainly through the courageous hberat10n struggle carried out by the peoples of those countries, led by their national Iiberation movements, and that many former Trust and Non-Self- Govet11:ing . Terri to~ es ha ve exercised their right to self- determmatlon and mdependence in accordance with the Declaration, Noting a/so with satisfaction the important contribution made by the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the lmplementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Pec_,ples ~n furt~ering the aims and objectives ofthe Decla- rat1on w1th a v1ew to the liberation of peoples from colo- nial rule, Noti~gfurther with satisfaction the active and important role bemg played by former colonial Territories as States Members ofthe United Nations and members ofthe other ~rganizations of the United Nations system in the realiza- t1on of the purposes and principies of the Charter the pre~rvation of intern~tional peace and security, decoioni- zatlon and_the promot1on ofhuman progress, as well as the profc_,und 1mpact thereof on contemporary international relallons, 38 Resolution 2625 (XXV), annex. 11. Resolutions adopted witbout reference to a Main Committee 27 Conscious of the fact that the Declaration has played an important role in assisting the peoples under colonial rule and will continue to serve as an inspiration in their efforts to achieve self-determination and independence in accord- ance with the Charter and in mobilizing world public opio- ion for the complete elimination of colonialism in ali its forms and manifestations, Deeply concerned at the fact that, twenty-five years after the adoption of the Declaration, colonialism in the world has not yet been totally eradicated, particularly in Namibia. Strongly condemning the continuing illegal occupation of Namibia and the colonial oppression of its people by the racist régime of Pretoria, which completely disregards the inalienable right ofthe people ofNamibia to self-deter- mination and independence, Reaffirming that ali peoples have the right to self-deter- mination and independence and that the subjection of peoples to colonial domination constitutes a denial offun- damental human rights and is a serious impediment to the maintenance of international peace and security and the development of peaceful relations among nations, Jncreasingly aware of the importance of economic, social and cultural development and self-reliance of colo- nial countries and peoples for the attainment and consoli- dation of genuine independence, Convincedthat the total eradication ofracial discrimina- tion, apartheid and violations of the basic human rights of the peoples in the remaining colonial Territories, particu- larly in Namibia, will be achieved peacefully and most expeditiously by the faithful and complete implementation of the Declaration, Determined to take effective measures leading to the complete and unconditional elimination of colonialism in ali its forms and manifestations without further delay, 1. Reaffirms the inalienable right of ali peoples under colonial rule to self-determination and independence in accordance with the Declaration on the Granting of Inde- pendence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, contained in General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV); 2. Declares that the continuation of colonialism in ali its forms and manifestations, including racism and apart- heid, is incompatible with the Charter of the United Nations, the Declaration and the principies of interna- tional law; 3. Expresses its conviction that the twenty-fifth anni- versary of the Declaration should provide an opportunity for Member States to rededicate themselves to the princi- pies and objectives enunciated in that document and for concerted efforts to be made to remove the last vestiges of colonialism in ali regions of the world; 4. Strongly condemns South Africa's continued illegal occupation ofNamibia, its defiance ofUnited Nations res- olutions, its brutal repression of the Namibian people, its agressive activities and acts of destabilization against neighbouring independent African States and its policies of apartheid, as well as its acquisition of nuclear-weapon capability, which constitute a threat to international peace and security; 5. Ca/Is upon Member States, in particular colonial Powers, to take effective steps with a view to the complete, unconditional and speedy eradication of colonialism in ali its forms and manifestations and to the faithful and strict observance of the relevant provisions of the Charter, the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,39 as well as other relevant resolutions and 39 Resolution 217 A (111). decisions of the General Assembly and those of the Secu- rity Council; 6. Urges Member States to do their utmost to promote, in the United Nations and the specialized agencies and other organizations ofthe United Nations system, effective measures for the ful! and speedy implementation of the Declaration in ali colonial Territories to which the Decla- ration applies; 7. Ca/Is upon Member States to render, as a matter of urgency, ali moral and material assistance to the peoples under colonial rule in their struggle to exercise their right to self-determination and independence, in accordance with the Charter and the Declaration; 8. Urges the administering Powers and other Member States to ensure that the activities of foreign economic and other interests in colonial Territories do not run counter to the interests of the inhabitants of those Territories and do not impede the implementation of the Declaration; 9. Requests Member States to take legislative, adminis- trative or other measures in respect of their nationals and the bodies corporate under their jurisdiction that illegally own and operate enterprises, including transnational cor- porations, in the international Territory of Namibia in order to put an end to such operations; l O. Urges Member Sta tes to discontinue ali economic, financia!, trade and other relations with the racist minority régime of South Africa in respect of Namibia and to refrain from entering into any relations with South Africa which may lend legitimacy or support to its continued ille- gal occupation of that Territory; l l. Requests Member States, as well as the organiza- tions ofthe United Nations system, to ensure that the per- manent sovereignty of the colonial Territories over their natural resources is fully respected and safeguarded; l 2. Reaffirms that ali administering Powers are obliged, under the Charter and in accordance with the Declaration, to create economic, social and other condi- tions in the Territories under their administration which will enable those Territories to achieve genuine indepen- dence and economic self-reliance; 13. Requests the administering Powers concerned to adopt the necessary measures to discourage or prevent any systematic influx ofimmigrants and settlers into the Terri- tories under their administration which might disrupt the demographic composition ofthose Territories and prevent the genuine exercise of the right to self-determination and independence by their peoples, and to avoid any forced displacement, complete or partial, of the population of colonial Territories; 14. Further requests the administering Powers to pre- serve the cultural identity, as well as the national unity, of the Territories under their administration and to encourage the full development of the indigenous culture, with a view to facilitating the unfettered exercise of the right to self-determination and independence by the peoples of those Territories; 15. Reaffirms its strong conviction that the presence of ali kinds ofmilitary bases and installations in colonial Ter- ritories could constitute a major obstacle to the implemen- tation of the Declaration and that it is the responsibility of the administering Powers concerned to ensure that the existence of such bases and installations does not hinder the peoples ofthe Territories from exercising their right to self-determination and independence in conformity with the purposes and principies of the Charter and the Decla- ration; 28 General Auembly-Fortietb Session 16. Ca/Is upon the administering Powers concemed to continue to take ali necessary measures not to involve those Territories in any offensive acts or interference against other States and to comply fully with the purposes and principies of the Charter, the Declaration and the res- olutions and decisions of the United Nations relating to military activities and arrangements by colonial Powers in the Territories under their administration; 17. Requests Member States, in particular the adminis- tering Powers, to adopt appropriate measures to prevent the recruitment, financing, training and transit of mercen- aries in their territories for use against the national libera- tion movements struggling for freedom and independence from the yoke of colonialism, racism and apartheid; 18. Considers it incumbent upon the United Nations to continue to play an active role in the process of decolo- nization and to intensify its efforts for the widest possible dissemination of information on decolonization, with a view to the further mobilization of intemational public opinion in support of complete decolonization; 19. Urges Member States to ensure the full and speedy implementation of the Declaration contained in General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) and other relevant resolu- tions of the United Nations; 20. Invites the Security Council to continue to give special attention to the situation in and around Namibia and to consider imposing mandatory sanctions against South Africa under Chapter VII of the Charter; 21. Requests the specialized agencies and other organi- zations of the United Nations system to render, or con- tinue to render, within their respective spheres of compe- tence, ali possible moral and material assistance to the peoples ofthe colonial Territories and to their national lib- eration movements, to take measures to withhold from the apartheid régime ofSouth Africa any form of collaboration or assistance in the financia!, economic and technical fields and to discontinue all support to that régime until the people of Namibia have exercised their right to self-deter- mination and independence in a united Namibia and until apartheid has been eradicated and a non-racial, united and democratic State based on the will of ali South African people has been established in accordance with the rele- vant resolutions and decisions of the General Assembly and the Security Council; 22. Invites non-govemmental organizations having a special interest in the field of decolonization to intensify their activities in co-operation with the United Nations; 23. Requests the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the lmplementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples to continue to examine the full compliance of all States with resolution 15 l 4 (XV) and other relevant reso- lutions on the question of decolonization, to seek the most suitable ways for the speedy and total application of the Declaration to ali Territories to which it applies and to propose to the General Assembly specific measures for the complete implementation of the Declaration in the remaining colonial Territories; 24. Invites all States to co-operate fully with the Spe- cial Committee in the complete fulfilment of its mandate. 99th p/enary meeting 2 December 1985 40 0/ñcial Records of the General Assemblv. Fiirtieth Session, Supplement No. 2J'(A/40/23). • 41 fbld., chap. IX, para. 12. 40/57. lmplementation of tbe Declaration on tbe Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples The General Assembly, Having examined the report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of lndependence to Colonial Countries and Peoples,40 Recalling its resolutions 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, containing the Declaration on the Granting of lnde- pendence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, 2621 (XXV) of 12 October 1970, containing the prógramme of action for the full implementation ofthe Declaration, and 35/118 of 11 December 1980, the annex to which contains the Plan of Action for the Full Implementation ofthe Declara- tion, Recalling all its previous resolutions concerning the implementation of the Declaration, in particular resolu- tion 39/91 of 14 December 1984, as well as the relevant resolutions of the Security Council, Having adopted resolution 40/56 of 2 December 1985 on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, Reiterating its conviction that the total eradication of racial discrimination, apartheid and violations of the basic human rights ofthe peoples of colonial Territories will be achieved most expeditiously by the faithful and complete implementation of the Declaration, particularly in Namibia, and by the speediest possible complete elimina- tion of the presence of the illegal occupying régime there- from, Recalling the consensus on Namibia, adopted by the Special Committee at its extraordinary session held at Tunis from 13 to 17 May 198541 and the relevant provi- sions of the Declaration and Programme of Action con- tained in the Final Document adopted by the United Nations Council for Namibia at its extraordinary plenary meetings held at Vienna from 3 to 7 June 1985,42 Condemning the continued colonialist and racist repres- sion of millions of Africans, particularly in Namibia, by the Govemment of South Africa through its persistent, illegal occupation of the international Territory and its intransigent attitude towards all efforts being made to bring about an intemationally acceptable solution to the situation obtaining in the Territory, Deeply conscious of the urgent need to take ali necessary measures to eliminate forthwith the last vestiges of colo- nialism, particularly in respect of Namibia where desper- ate attempts by South Africa to perpetuate its illegal occu- pation have brought untold suffering and bloodshed to the people, Strongly condemning the policies of those States which, in defiance of the relevant resolutions of the United Nations, have continued to collaborate with the Govern- ment of South Africa in its domination of the people of Namibia, Conscious that the success of the national liberation struggle and the resultant international situation have pro- vided the intemational community with a unique opportu- nity to make a decisive contribution towards the total elimination of colonialism in all its forms and manifesta- tions in Africa, Noting with satisfaction the work accomplished by the Special Committee with a view to securing the effective 42 fbid., Supplement No. 24 (A/40/24), para. 513.

UN Project. “A/RES/40/56.” UN Project, https://un-project.org/votes/resolution/A-RES-40-56/. Accessed .

Copy citation