CM/Res.781 (XXXV) RESOLUTION ON AFRO-ARAB CO-OPERATION
The Council of Ministers of the Organization of Africa Unity meeting in its Thirty- fifth Ordinary Session in Freetown, Sierra Leone, from 18 to 28 June, 1980,
Recalling Resolutions CM/Res. (XXXIII) Rev.1 and CM/Res.770 (XXXIV) adopted by the Thirty-third and Thirty-fourth Ordinary Sessions of the Council respectively,
Re-affirming its determination to do its utmost to apply the DECLERATION AND PROGRAMME OF ACTION adopted by the first Afro-Arab Summit held in Cairo in March 1977,
Noting that the government of the Socialist Peoples Libyan Arab Jamahiriya renewed its invitation to host the first joint Afro-Arab Ministerial Conference,
Recalling Resolution CM/Res.770 (XXXIV) adopted by the Thirty-fourth Ordinary Session of the Council,
Convinced of the need to strengthen Afro-Arab co-operation through the African and Arab specialized technical Bodies and Institutions,
Having carefully considered the report of the Secretary-General on the Afro-Arab co-operation:
CONGRATULATES the Secretary-General on his lucid and objective report;
URGES the Member States of the Organization of African Unity and of the League of Arab States to show their determination in finding ways and means to further strengthen Afro-Arab Co-operation, particularly through the implementation of the Programme of action;
AUTHORIZES the Secretary-General to continue consultations with the counterpart of the League of Arab States in order to:
Co-ordinate and harmonize the stands of the two Organizations, by associating with them the Arab and African financial Institutions concerned so as to lend rapid and effective assistance to the New Republic of Zimbabwe;
facilitate the resumption of the activities of the Co-ordinating Commission for Afro-Arab Co-operation;
RECOMMENDS that African and Arab Economic and Financial Institutions especially ADB, BADER to act in collaboration with Regional Economic Commission of the United Nations in Africa and in the Middle East to conduct immediately detailed studies on the Trade flow between African and Arab countries so as to identify the obstacles, recommends positive and realistic measures likely to remove these obstacles and submit their findings to the two Secretariats;
ENDORSES the recommendation of the two Secretaries-General as contained in document CM/1056 (XXXV) and particularly those relating to:
the establishment of a basis for an INVESTMENTS GUARANTEE FUND so as to promote private Arab investments in Africa and trade between the peoples of African and the Arab World;
the preparation of a project establishing a CULTURAL FUND AND AFRO-ARAB CULTURAL RESEARCH CENTRE.
URGES the African and Arab specialized and Technical Bodies and Institutions to grant all necessary technical assistance to the OAU Secretary- General and the Secretary-General of the LAS in their efforts to ensure the
implementation of the Programme of Action adopted by the First Afro-Arab Summit;
AUTHORIZES the Secretary-General to make all necessary arrangements after consultation with the Advisory Committee on Administrative, Budgetary and Financial Matters to establish adequate and appropriate structures for the Afro-Arab Co-operation Division within the OAU Secretariat, taking into consideration the requirements of the mission and the scope of the Declaration and Programme of Action adopted by the last Afro-Arab Summit;
REAFFIRMS the provision of resolution CM/Res.770 (XXXIX) adopted by the Thirty-fourth Session of the Council;
FURTHER NOTES with satisfaction the invitation of the Government of the Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya to host the first joint Afro -Arab Ministerial Conference.