CM/Res.916 (XXXVIII)
RESOLUTION ON THE RESULTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ASSISTANCE TO REFUGEES IN AFRICA (ICARA)
The Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity meeting in its Thirty- eighth Ordinary Session in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 22 to 28 February 1982.
Having considered the observations of the Secretary-General on the results of ICARA, Document CM/1187 (XXXVIII),
Having reviewed the present situation of the pledges made during ICARA as related to the urgent needs of the ever-increasing refugee population in Africa, and also to the economic constraints confronting the countries of asylum and very seriously limiting their means, to extend assistance to asylum-seekers,
Recalling its resolutions CM/Res. 814 (XXXV), CM/Res. 826 (XXXVI), and CM/Res.
868 (XXXVII) on ICARA, it’s preparatory arrangements and its follow -up, as well as the
UN General Assembly resolution 35/42 which defined the objectives of ICARA,
Noting with deep regret that despite the generous contributions by the international community, the main objective of ICARA which has been “to mobilize additional resources for refugee programmes in Africa” has fallen far short of expectations due to the specified nature of the contributions and the subsequent channeling of funds to the normal programmes on UN Agencies to which contributions would have been in any case made if the ICARA Conference had not been held,
Expressing its gratitude to the countries of asylum for the great sacrifices they are making in granting asylum to refugees in the spirit of African solidarity and traditional hospitality,
Reaffirming the need to translate the principle of “burden-sharing” into action programmes that could alleviate the plight of African refugees and the heavy burden placed on countries of asylum which are often among the Least Developed of the developing countries,
Reaffirming also the need to extend urgent assistance to countries of origin in the repatriation, resettlement and rehabilitation of returnees:
TAKES NOTE of the observations of the Secretary-General on the results of ICARA Document CM/1187 (XXXVIII);
COMMENDS the Secretariat for the pertinent and sound observations contained in the report, in as far as they relate to ICARA objectives and to the result so far achieved;
FURTHER COMMENDS the tripartite Steering Committee, comprising OAU, UN and UNHCR, for the follow-up actions taken and for the factual and accurate working papers it submitted for consideration by the Council;
CONGRATULATES the countries of asylum for the assistance they are extending to the refugees, in spite of the severe constraints they are facing;
EXPRESSES ITS GRATITUDE to all the donors whose pledges and contributions have enabled the financing of the normal programmes of assistance of the main refugee-serving and humanitarian agencies and the financing of bilateral assistance to refugees in African countries;
OBSERVES that ICARA’s objective of “mobilizing additional resources for refugee programmes in Africa” have fallen short of all expectations;
APPEALS to all African States, in the spirit of African solidarity, to extend more assistance to refugee programmes in Africa, thus giving true sense and value to the principles of burden sharing in refugee assistance and also self- sustained development through self and collective reliance;
CALLS ON all African Governments to consider refugee situations so as to ensure through appropriate policies measures and the creation of the necessary conditions for the voluntary repatriation of Refugees to their countries of origin or their resettlement in the countries of asylum rehabilitation such that the prevailing situations are brought under control.
REQUESTS the Secretary-General to undertake through the tripartite Steering Committee, a thorough evaluation of ICARA and its results, and to submit the findings of this evaluation exercise to the 40th Ordinary Session of the Council, so that after assessment of the situations, accurate data collection and feasibility studies of project proposals, the desirability to hold another pledging conference which should yield the additional resources required for refugee related programmes in Africa could be considered;
FURTHER REQUESTS the Secretary-General to keep the Secretariat associated with all the activities pertaining to ICARA results, follow-up and evaluation, and to inform the Council of all actions related thereto.