CM/Res. 244 (XVII) BUREAU FOR THE PLACEMENT AND EDUCATION OF AFRICAN REFUGEES
The Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity, meeting in its Seventeenth Ordinary Session in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 15 to 19 June 1971,
Considering resolution CM/141 (X) of the Tenth Session of the council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity,
Believing in the usefulness of BPEAR in the sphere of placement and education of African refugees,
Noting the growing increase of refugees in Africa and the size and complexity of the economic, social and human problems posed by these refugees,
Considering further that the BPEAR is entirely financed by voluntary agencies and other non- governmental international organizations,
Convinced of the importance of the BPEAR and of the confidence placed in BPEAR by international organizations and voluntary agencies which are concerned in a disinterested manner with the problems of African refugees,
Desirous of seeing relations of co-operation between BPEAR, the international organizations and the voluntary agencies develop further, in accordance with the spirit of the historic International Conference on the legal, economic and social aspects of African refugees problems of 1967,
RECOMMENDS:
that BPEAR be constituted, within the General Secretariat of the Organization of African Unity, as a special body under the direct control of the Assistant Secretary
General for Political Affairs, without prejudice to any further decision of the Council of Ministers;
that the expert studying the structure of the General Secretariat should be required to further examine the position of BPEAR in the framework of the General Secretariat;
that BPEAR regularly convey for the attention of the OAU Council of Ministers the deliberations of its co-ordinating Committee;
APPEALS to Member States to ratify the OAU Convention of Refugees as soon as possible;
EXPRESSES its gratitude to the States and organizations which are aiding the Bureau and actively participating in the quest for a positive solution to the crucial problems
of the placement of African refugees;
COMMENDS BPEAR for the untiring devotion with which it is performing its task under difficult conditions.