CM/Res. 547 (XXIX)
RESOLUTION ON SPECIAL ASSISTANCE TO SOUTHERN AFRICAN REFUGEES
The Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity meeting in its Twenty - Ninth Ordinary Session in Libreville, Gabon, from 23 rd June to 3 July, 1977
Bearing in mind, on the one hand, Article 4 of the OAU Convention on the allotment of responsibilities among Member States and, on the other, Resolution CM/Res. 536 (XXVIII) (Lone) of the Twenty-Eight Ordinary Session by which the Council established a special Committee of experts to assess the requirements of students and the young refuge es from Southern Africa in terms of assistance;
Considering the urgency, the seriousness and the magnitude of this problem;
Having examined the report of the OAU Commission of Ten on Refugee Problems as well as the assessment of the needs and the concl usions contained in the report prepared by the Director of the BPEAR-subsequent to this mission to Botswana;
Having taken further recognisance of the conclusions of the U.N. Mission to that region and the recent appeal made the UNCHR to the International community in general and OAU Member States in particular for appropriate emergency aid to refugees;
Considering that the placement of these young refugees in African Educational Institutions is one of the most urgent and friendly aspects of the problem both for the safety and the training of the refugees;
Having noted with satisfaction the initiative already taken by some Member States to provide assistance;
Considering that the influx of refugees from Southern Africa stems from the increased repression by the apartheid regime, and considering that the number of these refugees and their suffering will assume greater magnitude with the intensification of the national liberation struggle;
Having heard the statement of the representative of the Unite d Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on the question;
REITERATES its gratitude to the host countries of the region and urges them to generously grant to refugees the hospitality and assistance they need irrespective of their political affiliations;
EXPRESS its gratitude to other Member States which are taking action to provide assistance for these refugees and encourage them to continue their efforts and increase their valuable assistance;
CONGRATULATES the Commission of Ten and the BPEAR on the inte rest they are showing in this matter and on their successful initiatives in this regard;
FURTHER NOTES with satisfaction the concrete proposals made by the U.N. Mission of Experts on refugee students in Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland;
STRONGLY SUPPORTS the appeal made by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for increased assistance to refugees and recommends that Member States generously consider the requests for assistance made to them, and especially recommends that they make more vacancies, bursaries and scholarships available to these refugees in their educational institutions;
INVITES Member States to inform the BPEAR at the latest by 15 August 1977 the number of these young refugee students whom they can receive in their countries or grant scholarships;
DECIDES to set up a special fund for aid, similar to the Liberation Committee Fund, for Southern African refugees to be funded from extra -budgetary contributions and to be administered by BPEAR;
APPEALS once again to the international community and particularly to the international organizations of a humanitarian vocation to continue to give assistance;
REQUESTS the Secretary General to convene urgently a meeting of the Committee of Experts set up under Resolution CM/536 (XXVIII), follow up developments of the situation in this region and assist in finding a solution to this problem in consultation with Member States, Liberation Movements and the UNHCR, and report to the Council of Ministers at its Thirtieth Ordinary Session;
EXPRESS satisfaction with the harmonious co -operation between the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, the Co-ordination Committee of the BPEAR and urges them to continue their efforts in order to find suitable solutions to the problem of refugees.