CM/Res. 540 (XXVIII)
RESOLUTION ON DROUGHT AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTER IN AFRICA
The Council of Ministers of the Organization of Africa Unity, meeting in its Twenty - Eight Ordinary Session in Lome, Togo, from 21 to 28 February 1977.
Considering the catastrophic effects caused by the spread of drought and other disasters in Africa,
Considering Document CM/797 (XXVIII) and the Recommendations of the Fourth Session of the OAU Ad Hoc Committee on Drought and Other Natural Disasters in Africa,
Recalling Resolutions CM/Res. 336 (XXIII), CM/Res. 406 (XXIV), CM/Res. 450
(XXV) and CM/Res. 465 (XXVI),
CONGRATULATES the General Secretariat and the Ad Hoc Committee on Drought and Other Natural disasters, on their useful work,
REITERATES its appeal to all Member States to make available to the General Secretariat adequate information about the extent of drought and other natural disaster, the action taken, the assistance secured and their needs;
APPEALS to all Member States to honour their commitments by paying their annual obligatory contributions to the Emergency Relief Fund which consists of 1/15 th of each Member State’s contribution to the OAU Ordinary Budget starting from January 1976 to January 1980;
APPEALS FURTHER to those Member States who had paid certain grants to the OAU General Secretariat as assistance to the drought affected sister States prior to the establishment of the Emergency Relief Fund, to indicate to the General Secretariat whether these grants should be considered as their obligatory contributions or as voluntary gifts;
DECIDES that:
Madagascar should become a member of the OAU Ad Hoc Committee on Drought and Other Natural Disaster and that the composition of t his Committee should be on equitable geographical basis;
out of the Drought Emergency Relief Fund, the amount of US$ 80,000.00 should be sent to the Government of Cape Verde Islands as an immediate assistance for combatting drought, as indicated in document CM/797 (XXVIII);
the OAU Ad Hoc Committee on Drought and Other Natural Disaster examine with urgency the request made by Chad, defined criteria;
those affected Member States, that have not yet done so, should establish national Committees for combatting other natural disasters so as to better organize national efforts on the basis of the principle of self sufficiency;
the OAU General Secretariat contact the UN and its Specialized Agencies as well as other International bodies for more assistance in favour of afflicted Member States;
the OAU General Secretariat and UN bodies and specialized Agencies should undertake joint action in order to give a more substantial assistance to the affected Member States;
OAU General Secretariat should establish, before the end of 1977, the necessary machinery for the drawing of the hydrogeological map of Africa,
the General Secretariat should undertake information and publicity activities likely to further enhance the awareness of world public opinion.