A/RES/72/92 GA

United Nations A/RES/72/92 General Assembly Distr.: General 14 December 2017 17-22124 (E) 181217 *1722124* Seventy-second session Agenda item 59 Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 7 December 2017 [on the report of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee) (A/72/453)] 72/92. Economic and other activities which affect the interests of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories The General Assembly, Having considered the item entitled “Economic and other activities which affect the interests of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories”, Having examined the chapter of the report of the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples for 2017 relating to the item, 1 Recalling its resolution 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960, as well as all other relevant resolutions of the General Assembly, including, in particular, resolutions 46/181 of 19 December 1991, 55/146 of 8 December 2000 and 65/119 of 10 December 2010, Reaffirming the solemn obligation of the administering Powers under the Charter of the United Nations to promote the political, economic, social and educational advancement of the inhabitants of the Territories under their administration and to protect the human and natural resources of those Territories against abuses, Reaffirming also that any economic or other activity, including the use of the Non-Self-Governing Territories for military activity, that has a negative impact on the interests of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories and on the exercise of their right to self-determination in conformity with the Charter, General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) and the other relevant resolutions of the United Nations on decolonization is contrary to the purposes and principles of the Charter, __________________ 1 Official Records of the General Assembly, Seventy-second Session, Supplement No. 23 (A/72/23), chap. VI. A/RES/72/92 Economic and other activities which affect the interests of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories 17-22124 2/4 Reaffirming further that the natural resources are the heritage of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories, including the indigenous populations, Taking into account General Assembly resolution 1803 (XVII) of 14 December 1962 regarding the sovereignty of peoples over their natural wealth and resources in accordance with the Charter and the relevant resolutions of the United Nations on decolonization, Aware of the special circumstances of the geographical location, size and economic conditions of each Territory, and bearing in mind the need to promote the stability, diversification and strengthening of the economy of each Territory, Conscious of the particular vulnerability of the small Territories to natural disasters and environmental degradation, Expressing its deep concern at the number and scale of natural disasters and their devastating impact in 2017 in the Non-Self-Governing Territories in the Caribbean Sea, resulting in the loss of life and negative economic, social and environmental consequences for their vulnerable societies, hampering the achievement of sustainable development in these Territories, in particular in Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States Virgin Islands, as well as in Puerto Rico, whose situation is addressed in the Special Committee, Stressing the importance of inclusiveness within the United Nations development system and with respect to the implementation of relevant General Assembly resolutions, including resolution 70/1 of 25 September 2015, entitled “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, and resolution 71/226 of 21 December 2016 on disaster risk reduction, Conscious that foreign economic investment, when undertaken in collaboration with the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories and in accordance with their wishes, could make a valid contribution to the socioeconomic development of the Territories and also to the exercise of their right to self- determination in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations, Concerned about any activities aimed at exploiting the natural and human resources of the Non-Self-Governing Territories to the detriment of the interests of the inhabitants of those Territories, Bearing in mind the relevant provisions of the final documents of the successive Conferences of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries and of the resolutions adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, the Pacific Islands Forum and the Caribbean Community, 1. Reaffirms the right of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories to self-determination in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations and with General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV), containing the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, and with other relevant resolutions of the United Nations, as well as their right to the enjoyment of their natural resources and their right to dispose of those resources in their best interest; 2. Affirms the value of foreign economic investment undertaken in collaboration with the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories and in accordance with their wishes in order to make a valid contribution to the socioeconomic development of the Territories, especially during times of economic and financial crisis; 3. Reaffirms the responsibility of the administering Powers under the Charter to promote the political, economic, social and educational advancement of the Non-Self-Governing Territories, and reaffirms the legitimate rights of their peoples over their natural resources; Economic and other activities which affect the interests of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories A/RES/72/92 3/4 17-22124 4. Reaffirms its concern about any activities aimed at the exploitation of the natural resources that are the heritage of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories, including the indigenous populations, in the Caribbean, the Pacific and other regions, and of their human resources, to the detriment of their interests, and in such a way as to deprive them of their right to dispose of those resources; 5. Reaffirms the need to avoid any economic or other activities, including the use of the Non-Self-Governing Territories for military activity, that adversely affect the interests of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories, and in this regard reminds the administering Powers of their responsibility and accountability vis-à-vis any detriment to the interests of the peoples of those Territories, in accordance with relevant resolutions of the United Nations on decolonization; 6. Calls once again upon all Governments that have not yet done so to take, in accordance with the relevant provisions of General Assembly resolution 2621 (XXV) of 12 October 1970, legislative, administrative or other measures in respect of their nationals and the bodies corporate under their jurisdiction that own and operate enterprises in the Non-Self-Governing Territories that are detrimental to the interests of the inhabitants of those Territories, in order to put an end to such enterprises; 7. Calls upon the administering Powers to ensure that the exploitation of the marine and other natural resources in the Non-Self-Governing Territories under their administration is not in violation of the relevant resolutions of the United Nations, and does not adversely affect the interests of the peoples of those Territories; 8. Invites all Governments and organizations of the United Nations system to take all possible measures to ensure that the permanent sovereignty of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories over their natural resources is fully respected and safeguarded in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations on decolonization; 9. Urges the administering Powers concerned to take effective measures to safeguard and guarantee the inalienable right of the peoples of the Non-Self- Governing Territories to their natural resources and to establish and maintain control over the future development of those resources, and requests the administering Powers to take all steps necessary to protect the property rights of the peoples of those Territories in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations on decolonization; 10. Calls upon the administering Powers concerned to ensure that no discriminatory working conditions prevail in the Territories under their administration and to promote in each Territory a fair system of wages applicable to all the inhabitants without any discrimination; 11. Also calls upon the administering Powers concerned to provide all the necessary assistance to the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories affected by the hurricanes in order to alleviate the humanitarian needs in the affected communities, support the recovery and rebuilding efforts and enhance capabilities for emergency preparedness and risk reduction; 12. Encourages the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system and regional organizations to continue to provide assistance to the Non-Self-Governing Territories affected by the hurricanes and other natural disasters and to formulate appropriate programmes to support emergency response and recovery and rebuilding efforts, and requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly on this matter; A/RES/72/92 Economic and other activities which affect the interests of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories 17-22124 4/4 13. Requests the Secretary-General to continue, through all means at his disposal, to inform world public opinion of any activity that affects the exercise of the right of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories to self-determination in conformity with the Charter, General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) and the other relevant resolutions of the United Nations on decolonization; 14. Appeals to trade unions and non-governmental organizations, as well as individuals, to continue their efforts to promote the economic well-being of the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories, and also appeals to the media to disseminate information about the developments in this regard; 15. Decides to follow the situation in the Non-Self-Governing Territories so as to ensure that all economic activities in those Territories are aimed at strengthening and diversifying their economies in the interest of their peoples, in particular the indigenous populations, and at promoting the economic and financial viability of those Territories; 16. Requests the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples to continue to examine this question and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its seventy-third session. 66th plenary meeting 7 December 2017

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