The General Assembly,
 
      Having considered the item entitled "Implementation of the Declaration
on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by the
specialized agencies and the international institutions associated with the
United Nations",
 
      Having also considered the reports submitted on the item by the
Secretary- General and the Chairman of the Special Committee on the Situation
with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of
Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples,
 
      Having examined the chapter of the report of the Special Committee on
the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the
Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples relating to the
item,
 
      Recalling its resolutions 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960 and 1541 (XV) of
15 December 1960, and resolutions of the Special Committee, as well as other
relevant resolutions and decisions of the United Nations,
 
      Bearing in mind the relevant provisions of the final documents of the
successive Conferences of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned
Countries and of the resolutions adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and
Government of the Organization of African Unity, the South Pacific Forum and
the Caribbean Community,
 
      Conscious of the need to facilitate the implementation of the
Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples
contained in its resolution 1514 (XV),
 
      Noting that the large majority of the remaining Non-Self-Governing
Territories are small island Territories,
 
      Welcoming the assistance extended to Non-Self-Governing Territories by
certain specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations
system, in particular the United Nations Development Programme,
 
      Stressing that, because the development options of small island
Non-Self- Governing Territories are limited, there are special challenges to
planning for and implementing sustainable development and that those
Territories will be constrained in meeting the challenges without the
continued cooperation and assistance of the specialized agencies and other
organizations of the United Nations system,
 
      Stressing also the importance of securing necessary resources for
funding expanded assistance programmes for the peoples concerned and the need
to enlist the support of all major funding institutions within the United
Nations system in that regard,
 
      Reaffirming the mandates of the specialized agencies and other
organizations of the United Nations system to take all the appropriate
measures, within their respective spheres of competence, to ensure the full
implementation of resolution 1514 (XV) and other relevant resolutions,
 
      Expressing its appreciation to the Organization of African Unity, the
South Pacific Forum and the Caribbean Community, as well as other regional
organizations, for the continued cooperation and assistance they have extended
to the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations
system in this regard,
 
      Expressing its conviction that closer contacts and consultations between
and among the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United
Nations system and regional organizations help to facilitate the effective
formulation of assistance programmes to the peoples concerned,
 
      Mindful of the imperative need to keep under continuous review the
activities of the specialized agencies and other organizations of the United
Nations system in the implementation of the various United Nations decisions
relating to decolonization,
 
      Bearing in mind the extremely fragile economies of the
Non-Self-Governing small island Territories and their vulnerability to natural
disasters, such as hurricanes, cyclones and sea-level rise, and recalling its
relevant resolutions,
 
      Recalling its resolution 50/34 of 6 December 1995 on the implementation
of the Declaration by the specialized agencies and the international
institutions associated with the United Nations,
 
      1.    Takes note of the report of the Chairman of the Special Committee
on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the
Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples on his
consultations with the President of the Economic and Social Council and
endorses the observations and suggestions arising therefrom;
 
      2.    Recommends that all States intensify their efforts in the
specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system to
ensure implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to
Colonial Countries and Peoples and other relevant resolutions of the United
Nations; 
 
      3.    Reaffirms that the specialized agencies and other organizations
and institutions of the United Nations system should continue to be guided by
the relevant resolutions of the United Nations in their efforts to contribute
to the implementation of the Declaration and all other relevant General
Assembly resolutions;
 
      4.    Reaffirms also that the recognition by the General Assembly and
other United Nations organs of the legitimacy of the aspiration of the peoples
of Non- Self-Governing Territories to exercise their right to
self-determination entails, as a corollary, the extension of all appropriate
assistance to those peoples;
 
      5.    Expresses its appreciation to those specialized agencies and other
organizations of the United Nations system that have continued to cooperate
with the United Nations and the regional and subregional organizations in the
implementation of resolution 1514 (XV) and other relevant resolutions of the
United Nations;
 
      6.    Requests the specialized agencies and the international
institutions associated with the United Nations, as well as regional
organizations, to examine and review conditions in each Territory so as to
take appropriate measures to accelerate progress in the economic and social
sectors of the Territories and strengthen existing measures of support, and,
in that regard, to formulate appropriate programmes of assistance to the
remaining Non-Self-Governing Territories, within the framework of their
respective mandates;
 
      7.    Recommends that the executive heads of the specialized agencies
and other organizations of the United Nations system formulate, with the
active cooperation of the regional organizations concerned, concrete proposals
for the full implementation of the relevant resolutions of the United Nations
and submit the proposals to their governing and legislative organs;
 
      8.    Also recommends that the specialized agencies and other
organizations of the United Nations system continue to review at the regular
meetings of their governing bodies the implementation of resolution 1514 (XV)
and other relevant resolutions of the United Nations;
 
      9.    Welcomes the continuing initiative exercised by the United Nations
Development Programme in maintaining close liaison among the specialized
agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system and in providing
assistance to the peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories;
 
      10.   Encourages Non-Self-Governing Territories to take steps to
establish and/or strengthen disaster preparedness and management institutions
and policies;
 
      11.   Requests the administering Powers concerned to facilitate the
participation of appointed and elected representatives of Non-Self-Governing
Territories in the relevant meetings and conferences of the specialized
agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system so that the
Territories may benefit from the related activities of those agencies and
organizations;
 
      12.   Recommends that all Governments intensify their efforts in the
specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system of
which they are members to ensure the full and effective implementation of
resolution 1514 (XV) and other relevant resolutions of the United Nations and,
in that connection, accord priority to the question of providing assistance to
the peoples of the Non-Self-Governing Territories;
 
      13.   Requests the Secretary-General to continue to assist the
specialized agencies and other organizations of the United Nations system in
working out appropriate measures for implementing the relevant resolutions of
the United Nations and to prepare for submission to the relevant bodies, with
the assistance of those agencies and organizations, a report on the action
taken in implementation of the relevant resolutions, including the present
resolution, since the circulation of his previous report;
 
      14.   Commends the Economic and Social Council for its debate and its
resolution 1996/37 of 26 July 1996 on this issue, and requests it to continue
to consider, in consultation with the Special Committee, appropriate measures
for coordination of the policies and activities of the specialized agencies
and other organizations of the United Nations system in implementing the
relevant resolutions of the General Assembly;
 
      15.   Requests the specialized agencies to report periodically to the
Secretary-General on the implementation of the present resolution;
 
      16.   Requests the Secretary-General to transmit the present resolution
to the governing bodies of the appropriate specialized agencies and
international institutions associated with the United Nations so that those
bodies may take the necessary measures to implement the resolution, and also
requests the Secretary- General to report to the General Assembly at its
fifty-second session on the implementation of the present resolution;
 
      17.   Requests the Special Committee to continue to examine the question
and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its fifty-second session.