Resolution on the Conference on the Situation of Refugees in Africa

CM/Res. 621 (XXXI)

RESOLUTION ON THE

CONFERENCE ON THE SITUATION OF REFUGEES IN AFRICA

The Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity, meeting in its Thirty-First Ordinary Session in Khartoum, Democratic Republic of the Sudan, from 7 to 18 July 1978,

Having reviewed the general situation of refugees in the African countries;

Noting with deep concern that, since the 1967 Conference on the Legal, Economic, and Social Aspects of African Refugee Problems, the number of refugees has been constantly increasing and that the problems with which they are confronted tend to become more intricate and delicate to solve;

Recalling that one of the basic principles of assistance to African refugees, as defined in the OAU Convention, is that “Granting of Asylum is a Peaceful and Humanitarian Act”;

Having noted the information submitted by the Administrative Secretary-General in his progress report for the period July 1977 – February 1978 about the convening of a Pan-African Conference on Refugee Problems in May 1979, at Arusha, Tanzania:

1. AUTHORISES the OAU to co-sponsor this Conference in cooperation with UNHCR and UNECA:

2. CALLS UPON all OAU Member States to actively participate in that Conference and to extend all possible political, moral and financial support to ensure that all substantive and organizational arrangement for the Conference are properly made;

3. COMMENDS the preparatory work undertaken by the Planning Committee established in November 1977 to assume responsibility for the Conference, whose membership includes: OAU, UNHCR, UNECA, and three co-sponsors, as well as AACC, IUEF, LWF, SEAS and WCC;

4. FURTHER COMMENDS the generous contributions made by donor governments and agencies genuinely interested in African refugee problems, and calls upon all concerned to follow suit and to extend assistance to the Planning Committee;