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A/RES/29/3343 



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General Assembly

Distr: General
17 December 1974
Original: English

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Twenty-ninth session
Agenda item 12

Resolution adopted by the General Assembly

3343 (XXIX). Special Session of the General Assembly devoted to development and international economic co-operation

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 3172 (XXVIII) of 17 December 1973, by which it decided to convene in 1975 a special session devoted to development and international economic co-operation,

Recalling its resolutions 3201 (S-VI) and 3202 (S-VI) of 1 May 1974 containing, respectively, the Declaration and the Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order, in which the States Members of the United Nations solemnly proclaimed their united determination to work urgently for the establishment of a new international economic order based on equity, sovereign equality, interdependence, common interest and co-operation among all States irrespective of their economic and social systems,

Recalling its resolution 2626 (XXV) of 24 October 1970, containing the International Development Strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade, in which it stated that policy measures should be viewed in a dynamic context, involving continuing review to ensure their effective implementation and adaptation in the light of new developments,

Further recalling that the results of the World Population Conference, the World Food Conference, the Second General Conference of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, other conferences and instruments scheduled or in preparation within the United Nations system, the findings of the multilateral trade negotiations and the results of the reform of the international monetary system as well as the comprehensive draft review of the implementation of the International Development Strategy, the Declaration and the Programme of Action and the results of the preparatory process of the special session itself should contribute to the achievement of the aims of that session,

Endorsing the recommendation of the Economic and Social Council in its resolution 1911 (LVII) of 2 August 1974 that the special session should discuss the major themes and problems of the development process and in this context decide on measures designed to bring about the necessary and appropriate changes required in the existing structures and institutions within the United Nations system and consider appropriate changes in the over-all pattern of international economic relations, and taking note that the Council established to this end a preparatory committee,

Recalling that economic and social progress is a responsibility that the whole international community shares and recognizing that the current economic situation of the world calls for renewed dedication to the cause of development,

Stressing the need for early and careful preparation of its special session devoted to development and international economic co-operation,

1.Urges Member States to be represented in the special session at a high political level to ensure satisfactory completion of the specific tasks assigned to the special session through successful and concrete results;

2.Requests the Economic and Social Council, in discharging its over-all responsibilities for the preparation of the special session:

  1. To convene the Preparatory Committee for the Special Session of the General Assembly Devoted to Development and International Economic Co-operation, the first session of which shall be short and essentially organizational in nature, not later than March 1975, the second session in June, at which as much as possible of the work should be completed, and a third session thereafter, as required, at an appropriate date;

  2. To organize its work programme so as to ensure final action on the recommendations of the Preparatory Committee;

3.Requests the Secretary-General as a matter of priority to ensure that the necessary arrangements and facilities are made available to enable the Preparatory Committee to discharge its mandate fully;

4.Requests further that the Secretary-General, in collaboration with the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the Executive Director of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, the executive heads of the other organizations of the United Nations system including, as appropriate, the President of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, and with the assistance of the Committee for Development Planning, submit to the Preparatory Committee at its second session a comprehensive report on the state of international economic activities, focusing on constraints of a general policy nature which face the implementation of the Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order, as well as the International Development Strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade, with particular emphasis on an integrated approach in the field of commodities, agricultural and industrial development, the transfer of real resources to developing countries, technical assistance, the transfer and development of technologies, developments in the monetary field and the role of transnational corporations in the development process, so as to enable the special session to contribute further to the appropriate changes in the over-all pattern of international economic relations;

5.Requests the Secretary-General, in effective and close consultation with Member States, to appoint immediately a small group of high-level experts, selected on a broad geographical basis and nominated by Governments, to submit to the Preparatory Committee at its second session a study containing proposals on structural changes within the United Nations system so as to make it fully capable of dealing with problems of international economic co-operation in a comprehensive manner, taking into account, inter alia, developments in the fields of trade, financing, international monetary reform, agriculture and industrialization, and bearing in mind, as appropriate, the relevant work already under way in reviewing the agreements between the United Nations and the specialized agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency, which could lead to an expanded role for the United Nations system with effective and expeditious support for the economic and social development of developing countries, and which could be used by the Preparatory Committee in acting upon the task referred to in paragraph 1 (b) of resolution 3172 (XXVIII);

6.Decides that the Preparatory Committee shall consider, with a view to finalizing a consolidated document containing concrete recommendations on the basis of which the special session will take decisions that should give impetus to strategies for development on the basis of targets and supportive policy measures for their achievement within a time-bound framework:

  1. The documentation referred to in paragraphs 4 and 5 above and such other matters as may be submitted to it;

  2. The information available from the review and appraisal exercise as envisaged in section II, paragraph 17, of Economic and Social Council resolution 1911 (LVII);

7.Decides that the special session shall be held from 1 to 12 September 1975.

2323rd plenary meeting
17 December 1974