Emergency assistance for humanitarian relief and the economic and social rehabilitation of Somalia : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolutions 43/206 of 20 December 1988, 44/178 of 19 December 1989 and 45/229 of 21 December 1990 and the resolutions and decisions of the Economic and Social Council on emergency assistance to Somalia,

Recalling also the appeal for urgent humanitarian assistance for Somalia and other countries in Africa made by the Secretary-General at the twenty-seventh ordinary session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity, held at Abuja, Nigeria, from 3 to 5 June 1991,

Noting with satisfaction the measures taken by the Secretary-General to mobilize international assistance to Somalia,

Deeply concerned at the massive displacement of the population in the affected regions of Somalia, the extensive damage and destruction of villages, towns and cities, the heavy damage inflicted by the civil conflict on the infrastructure of the country and the widespread disruption of public facilities and services,

Stressing the critical need to bring the civil war to an end expeditiously and as soon as possible through the involvement of all parties,

Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General on emergency assistance to Somalia and of the statement on the Special Emergency Programme for the Horn of Africa made before the Second Committee of the General Assembly on 31 October 1991 by the Under-Secretary-General for Special Political Questions, Regional Cooperation, Decolonization and Trusteeship,

Deeply appreciative of the humanitarian assistance rendered by a number of Member States to alleviate the hardship and suffering of the affected population,

Noting that many areas and regions are safe and accessible enough to allow immediate and urgent humanitarian assistance to be provided to all of the affected population,

Noting with great satisfaction the humanitarian efforts being deployed by the various entities of the United Nations system and by national and international non-governmental organizations,

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

2.         Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General for the measures taken to mobilize emergency assistance to the affected population in Somalia;

3.         Appeals to all States and relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to continue to extend emergency assistance to Somalia, taking into account the statement on the Special Emergency Programme for the Horn of Africa made before the Second Committee of the General Assembly on 31 October 1991 by the Under-Secretary-General for Special Political Questions, Regional Cooperation, Decolonization and Trusteeship;

4.         Urges the concerned specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system, in particular the United Nations Development Programme, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Children's Fund, the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Food Programme, the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements and the United Nations Environment Programme, to resume on the most urgent basis their assistance programmes in their respective fields of competence in order to alleviate the suffering of all the affected population in accessible areas;

5.         Appeals to all parties concerned to terminate hostilities and to engage in a national reconciliation process which will lead to the re-establishment of peace, order and stability and also facilitate the relief and rehabilitation efforts;

6.         Calls upon the Secretary-General to continue to mobilize international humanitarian assistance for Somalia;

7.         Requests the Secretary-General, in view of the critical situation prevailing in Somalia, to take all necessary measures for the implementation of the present resolution, to apprise the Economic and Social Council at its regular session of 1992 of the progress made and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its forty-seventh session.