CM/Res. 637 (XXXI)
RESOLUTION ON ASSISTANCE TO FRONT -LINE STATES
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 taken note of, with great satisfaction, the Report of the Mission of the Committee of Ten to Botswana, Mozambique and Zambia contained in CM/885 (XXXI),
Commending the satisfactory task accomplished by the Committee of Ten and its Chairman, Togo, for the seriousness with which it has been discharging its duties,
Considering the great economic difficulties Botswana, Mozambique and Zambia are encountering due to their total commitment to the liberation struggle in South Africa and their firm wishes to render all possible assistance to the Liberation Movements in Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa,
Recalling OAU Resolution CM/Res. 577 (XXIX) on the rebel, Rhodesian invasion of the People’s of Mozambique,
Recalling further operative paragraph 8 of Resolution CM/Res. 577 (XXIX) by which OAU Member States are invited to assist Front-Line States victims of aggression by the racist minority regimes by committing themselves to come to the aid of these countries whenever they are attacked or threatened by the racist regimes of Southern Africa:
REQUESTS the Committee of Ten on Assistance to Front-Line States to remain seized of the Economic and Military problems of Botswana, Mozambique and Zambia arising from rebel Rhodesia’s continued aggression and to extend its activities to other Front-Line States;
REQUESTS FURTHER the Committee of Ten to undertake a mission to friendly oil producing countries with a view of raising the 500,00 tons of crude oil needed by the three Front-Line States and decides by the first meeting of the Committee held in Libreville, Gabon:
URGES all Member States of the OAU to contribute generously towards the 30 million US dollar African Solidarity Fund established by the OAU Heads of State and Government at the 14th Summit meeting in Libreville, Gabon;
URGES FURTHER all Member States of the OAU to consider the granting of all forms of assistance, o a bilateral basis, to the three Front-Line States;
MANDATES the Committee of Ten to find ways and means of securing concrete financial and material assistance from extra-African sources and conduct missions to that end;
REQUESTS the Chairman of the Committee of Ten and the Secretary-General of the OAU to contact, after due consultations with the Front-Line States, BADEA, ADB and other Project Implementation Agencies in the Arab world in order to speedily finalize projects already agreed upon on a bilateral basis;
EXPRESSES its gratitude to the Government of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria for its decision to contribute 50,000 tons of crude oil towards the target of 500,000 tons;
REQUESTS the Chairman of the Committee of Ten and the OAU Secretary-General to report to the Thirty-Second Session of the Council of Ministers on the implementation of this resolution.