AG/RES. 1751 (XXX-O/00): Support for the Program of Integral Action Against Antipersonnel Mines in Central America

(Resolution adopted at the first plenary session, held on June 5, 2000)

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

HAVING SEEN the Report of the Permanent Council (AG/doc.3848/00) and, in particular, the portion concerning the Report of the Chair of the Committee on Hemispheric Security (CP/CSH-307/00), as well as the report of the General Secretariat on the implementation of resolution AG/RES. 1641 (XXIX-O/99), "Support for the Mine-Clearing Program in Central America";

BEARING IN MIND the aforementioned resolution AG/RES. 1641 (XXIX-O/99), as well as General Assembly resolution AG/RES. 1240 (XXIII-O/93), "Inter-American Defense Board";

REAFFIRMING its profound concern over the presence in Central America of thousands of antipersonnel land mines and other undetonated explosive devices that continue to constitute a threat to the population and having horrendous effects, primarily on the civilian population–especially children, causing tragedy to individuals and families, standing in the way of socioeconomic development in vast and rich rural areas, and affecting border integration in those areas; and

CONSIDERING:

The efforts being made by the Governments of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua to complete mine-clearing activities and the destruction of stockpiles of mines, as well as programs aimed at the physical and psychological rehabilitation of victims and their families and the socioeconomic reclamation of demined areas;

The valuable contribution made to the Mine-Clearing Program for Central America (PADCA) by member states of the Organization of American States (OAS)–Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Peru, United States, Uruguay, and Venezuela; by the permanent observer countries to the OAS–France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, the Russian Federation, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom; as well as by other donor countries including Denmark and Norway; and

The important coordination, promotional, and fundraising work of the OAS General Secretariat, through the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy, for PADCA and for programs aimed at the physical and psychological rehabilitation of victims and their families and the socioeconomic reclamation of demined areas; as well as the technical advisory services being provided by the Inter-American Defense Board to PADCA; and

The valuable support of the Committee on Hemispheric Security,

RESOLVES:

1. To reiterate its gratitude to member states, permanent observers, and the international community in general for their contributions to the Mine-Clearing Program for Central America (PADCA) and the other programs of Integral Action against Antipersonnel Mines in Central America.
2. To reiterate its call to member states, donors, and cooperation agencies to respond favorably to the appeal for additional support made by the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) in order to redouble efforts, in the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Mitch, to complete the mine-clearing programs in Central America as soon as possible.

3. To note with satisfaction the progress made by the Governments of Honduras and Nicaragua in destroying the antipersonnel mines stockpiled in their respective countries.

4. To recognize the support given by PADCA in the clearing and certification of important road and communications infrastructure in Honduras and Nicaragua respectively following the devastation caused by Hurricane Mitch.

5. To recognize the progress made by the General Secretariat, through the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy (UPD), in raising external resources to purchase and repair air and ground transport equipment for PADCA, that are indispensable for the proper functioning of the mine-clearing programs and the evacuation of victims in cases of accidents, and to urge that it continue its efforts to purchase the equipment still needed.

6. To foster cooperation and coordination activities carried out by the General Secretariat, through the UPD, with:

a. the Central American Bank for Economic Integration, in the framework of the cooperation agreement concluded by the two institutions, designed to initiate and/or strengthen programs aimed at mine awareness education of the civilian population regarding the danger of antipersonnel mines and the socioeconomic reclamation of demined areas of Central America;

b. The Americas Foundation, so as to join forces with the business, academic, and charitable sectors and non-profit organizations of the Hemisphere to promote programs to train and reintegrate into society victims and communities affected by antipersonnel mines in Central America;

c. the United Nations (UN), to implement an information system on integral action against antipersonnel mines in Central America;

d. the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), to combine efforts in providing care to antipersonnel mine victims and reintegrating them into society in the framework of the activities of the joint Mexico-Canada-PAHO cooperation programs;

e. the Center for International Rehabilitation, in the framework of the cooperation agreement concluded by the two institutions to devise and implement a plan of action to develop and disseminate technology and educational materials for victims of mines and other explosive devices.

7. To request the IADB to continue to provide technical assistance to PADCA.

8. To promote measures aimed at strengthening existing technical capacity in affected Central American countries in order to complete, without delay, the marking of areas where it is known or suspected that antipersonnel land mines are located.

9. To underscore the valuable contributions of the inter-sessional meetings of the Standing Committee of Experts established by member states of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and On Their Destruction during the First Meeting of States Parties in Maputo, May 1999.

10. To urge the General Secretariat to continue to provide to the Central American countries, within resources allocated in the program-budget and other resources, the support necessary to continue the mine-clearing programs, as well as those aimed at mine awareness education, rehabilitation of victims, and the socioeconomic reclamation of demined areas.

11. To reiterate its request to the Inter-American Council for Integral Development (CIDI) to facilitate, as part of its cooperation program, and in keeping with the Strategic Plan for Partnership for Development 1997-2001, the development of programs of socioeconomic and educational support to communities in Central America where antipersonnel mine-clearing has been completed.

12. To reiterate its request to the organs, agencies, and entities of the inter-American system to continue to collaborate with these programs.

13. To request the Secretary General to transmit this resolution to the UN Secretary-General, and to other international organizations as he deems appropriate.

14. To request the General Secretariat to report to the General Assembly at its thirty-first regular session on the implementation of this resolution.