CM/Res.1527 (LX)
RESOLUTION ON THE REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON ASSISTANCE TO REFUGEES, RETURNEES AND DISPLACED PERSONS IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION
The Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity meeting in its Sixtieth Ordinary Session in Tunis, Tunisia, from 6 to 11 June, 1994,
Having considered the report of the OAU Secretary-General on the Situation in Burundi (Doc. CM/1831 (LX) and Rwanda Doc. CM/1847 (LX)),
Having considered the report of the OAU Commission of Fifteen on the Situation of Refugees and Displaced Persons in Africa,
Preoccupied by the grave crisis currently gripping the region of the Great Lakes,
Referring to Resolution 48/118 adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on Assistance to Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons in Africa,
Recalling Resolution CM/Res.1448 (LVIII) on Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons adopted by the Council of Ministers at its Fifty-eighth Ordinary Session held in Cairo from 21 to 26 June, 1993,
Mindful of the fact that there is a need to provide increased assistance to asylum countries, particularly those which have hosted refugees in their territories for a long time, to enable them to remedy their deteriorating economy, arrest the degradation of their environment and mitigate the negative effects on public services and the development process,
Convinced of the necessity to co-ordinate the work of humanitarian organizations and provide adequate financial, medical and material assistance to the needy, the most vulnerable groups in particular:
TAKES NOTE of the report of the OAU Secretary-General – Doc. CM/1831 (LX);
COMMENDS the countries of the Great Lakes Region for the sacrifices they are making and for their assistance to refugees;
EXPRESSES ITS APPRECIATION to the continued efforts deployed by the Secretaries-General of the United Nations and the OAU in helping the Peoples of Burundi and Rwanda to restore peace and stability and embark on national reconciliation,
EXPRESSES its deep concern over the serious repercussions of the presence of such a large number of refugees on the asylum countries;
EMPHASIZES the urgent need to convene in Bujumbura Republic of Burundi, a regional conference on Assistance to Refugees, Returnees and Displaced Persons in the Great Lakes Region;
REAFFIRMS the importance of the participation in and contribution of UN and OAU Member States to humanitarian efforts, as well as the contribution of NGOs recognized for their effectiveness and commitment in the field of humanitarian assistance;
REQUESTS the OAU Secretary-General in consultation and close co- operation with the appropriate United Nations institutions and agencies and donor countries to examine possible ways and means of financing the conference;
URGES the OAU and Member States to take the necessary measures to find a lasting solution to the problem of refugees in the Great Lakes Region;
CALLS ON all UN and OAU Member States, as well as the relevant inter- governmental and non-governmental organizations to get involved in the drawing up of the Plan of Action and programme of assistance to refugees, returnees and displaced persons in the Great Lakes Region;
RECOMMENDS that the said conference be convened in December 1994 at the latest,
REQUESTS the Secretary-General to submit a report to the 61st Session of the Council.