CM/Res. 659(XXXI)
RESOLUTION ON TECHNICAL
CO-OPERATION AMONG DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
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,
Recalling the United Nations General Assembly resolution 3201 (S-VI) and 3202 (S- VI) on the establishment of the New International Economic Order,
Recalling further the UN General Assembly resolution 3362 (S-VII) on development and international economic co-operation,
Affirming the UN General Assembly Resolution 3281 (XXIX) on the Charter of Economic Rights and duties of States,
Recognizing that the basic objective of technical co-operation among developing countries being the furthering of the national and collective self-reliance of developing countries and the enhancement of their creative capacity to solve their development problems as supported by the Fifth conference of Heads of State and government of Non-Aligned Countries held at Colombo (16 – 19 August 1976),
Endorsing the Kuwait Declaration adopted on June 5, 1977 which defined technical co-operation among developing countries as “historical imperative brought about by the need for a new international economic order”.
Reaffirming Resolution CM/560 (XXIX) of the Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity at its Twenty-Ninth Ordinary Session and endorsed by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity at its Fourteenth Ordinary Session (Libreville, 23 June – 5 July 1977) which recognized technical co-operation, between developing countries as “a conscious, systematic and politically motivated process aimed at strengthening the framework of multiple links between developing countries”,
Referring to the UN General Assembly’s recent resolution (32/183) calling for the convening of a United Nations Conference on Technical Co-operation Among Developing Countries (TCDC) from August 28 to September 12, 1978:
NOTING that the UNDP is ready to fund an OAU preparatory meeting for the UN Conference on Technical Co-operation Among Developing Countries (TCDC), due to be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from August 30 to September 12, 1978, as well as render financial assistance to those OAU Member States which need such assistance, in order to be able to participate effectively in the Conference;
CALLS ON the OAU Administrative Secretary-General to convene the preparatory meeting as soon as possible;
URGES Member states of the Organization of African Unity to make sure that they:
are represented at both the preparatory meeting and the conference on TCDC at Ministerial level, most appropriately by Ministers of Planning; and
support the concept of TCD in the broader context of the New International Economic Order to achieve objectives including the following ;
to foster the self-reliance of developing countries through to enhancement of their creative capacity to find solutions to their development problems;
to promote and strengthen collective self-reliance among development countries through exchange of experience, the sharing and utilization of their combined resource, and the development of complementary capabilities;
to strengthen the capacity of developing countries to identify and analyze together the main issues of their development and to formulate the requisite strategies and policies in the conduct of their international economic relations and during negotiations being held within the UN system, especially at the committee of the whole for the establishment of the New International Economic Order;
to increase the quantum and enhance the quality of international co-operation as well as to improve the effectiveness of the resources devoted to over-all technical co-operation;
3. REQUESTS the OAU Administrative Secretary-General to submit a report on the outcome of the conference to the next Session of the Council of Ministers.