Concerted Action for Economic Development of Economically Less Developed Countries

A/RES/1515(XV)No PDF available

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, published in 1961.

What subjects does this mandate have?

8 topics

Agricultural Products Agricultural Research Development Assistance Economic Development Least Developed Countries Technical Cooperation Trade in Commodities Trade Restrictions

What does this mandate say?

8 operative paragraphs

Reiterates that a prime duty of the United Nations is to accelerate the economic and social advancement of the less developed countries of the world, thus contributing to safeguarding their independence and helping to close the gap in standards of living between the more developed and the less developed countries ;

Recognizes that this social and economic advancement requires the development and di versification of economic activity, that is, the improvement of conditions for the marketing and production of foodstuffs and the industrialization of those economies which are largely dependent on subsistence agriculture or on the export of a small range of primary commodities ;

Believes that in the present circumstances the achievement of these ends demands, inter alia:

The maintenance of a high and expanding level of economic activity and of generally beneficial multilateral and bilateral trade free from artificial restrictions, in order to enable the less developed countries and those dependent on the export of a small range of primary commodities to sell more of their products at stable and remunerative prices in expanding markets, and so increasingly to finance their own economic development from their earnings of foreign exchange;

( b) The increasing provision of public and private capital on acceptable terms from the more developed to the less developed countries, notably through international organizations and through freely negotiated multilateral or bilateral arrangements ;

( c) The expansion of technical co-operation between countries at all stages of development, with the objective of aiding the people of umler-developed countries to increase their knowledge of, and capacity to apply, modern techniques;

( d) Scientific and cultural co-operation and the encouragement of research ;

( e) Proper regard for the human and social aspects of economic development ;

Recommends, with these objects in view, that:

Member States and the international organs concerned should continue as a matter of urgency to seek and apply ways of eliminating both excessive fluctuations in primary commodity trade and restrictive practices or measures which have unfavourable repercussions on the trade in basic products of the less developed countries and those dependent on the export of a small range of primary products, and to expand trade in these products ;

( b) In particular, the Economic and Social Council should give close and serious attention to the problems of commodity trade and to the recomrne11datio11s of the Commission on International Commodity Trade designed to deal with them, including those such as compensatory financing relating to oft-setting the efTects of large fluctuations;

( c) Technical training, education and prt'-investment assistance, whether undertaken by international organizations or by individual Governments, should be regarded as an ,important factor in the economic development of under-developed countries and, in partirnlar, the fullest possible support should be given to the Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance, to the Special Fund and to the other voluntary progra111mes of the lr nited Nat ions which arc concerned with these' ends;

( d) Technical assistance and the supply of development capital, which are increasing, should he increased further-whether provided through existing and futmc international organizations and institutions or otherwise -should be of a kind and in a form in accordance with the wishes of the recipients and should involve 110 unacceptable conditions for them, political, cconomic, military or other;

( e) Regional eronomic grouping should be de,signed to offer the opportunities of an expanding market to all trading nations, taking into account the interests of third parties;

Rerommends f 11rtlzer that the sovereign right of every State to dispose of its wealth and its natural resources should be respected in conformity with the rights and duties of States under international law;

Requests the Economic and Social Council and the Secretary-General, the specialized agencies, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Covernments of States members of these organizations to takC' note of the present resolution and asks them to play their appropriate part effectively in carrying out its objectives and principles for the general and co111n1011 benefit of the human race.

948th plenary mcl'fing,

15 December 1960.

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