Support by the UN System of the Efforts of Governments to Promote and Consolidate New or Restored Democracies, G.A. res. 50/133, 50 U.N. GAOR Supp. (No. 49) at 70, U.N. Doc. A/50/49 (Vol. I) (1995).
The General Assembly, Bearing in mind the indissoluble links between the principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the foundations of any democratic society, Recalling the Manila Declaration adopted in June 1988 by the First International Conference of New or Restored Democracies, Considering the major changes taking place on the international scene and the aspirations of all the peoples for an international order based on the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, including the promotion and encouragement of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all and other important principles, such as respect for the equal rights and self- determination of peoples, peace, democracy, justice, equality, the rule of law, pluralism, development, better standards of living and solidarity, Recalling also its resolution 49/30 of 7 December 1994, in which it recognized the importance of the Managua Declaration and the Plan of Action adopted by the Second International Conference of New or Restored Democracies in July 1994, Recalling further the view expressed in the Managua Declaration that the international community must pay closer attention to the obstacles facing the new or restored democracies, Taking note of the views of Member States expressed in the debate on this item at its forty-ninth and fiftieth sessions, Bearing in mind that such activities of the United Nations carried out in support of the efforts of Governments are undertaken in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and only at the specific request of the Member States concerned, Bearing in mind also that democracy, development and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms are interdependent and mutually reinforcing and that democracy is based on the freely expressed will of the people to determine their own political, economic, social and cultural systems and on their full participation in all aspects of their lives, Noting that a considerable number of societies have recently undertaken considerable efforts to achieve their social, political and economic goals through democratization and the reform of their economies, pursuits that are deserving of the support and recognition of the international community, Noting with satisfaction that a Third International Conference on New or Restored Democracies will take place at Bucharest, Having considered the report of the Secretary-General of 7 August 1995 on assistance provided in the past by the United Nations, at the request of Member States, as well as important concepts and considerations that are pertinent to this question, 1. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General; 2. Commends the Secretary-General and through him the United Nations system for the activities undertaken at the request of Governments to support the efforts to consolidate democracy, as reflected in his report; 3. Recognizes that the Organization has an important role to play in providing timely, appropriate and coherent support to the efforts of Governments to achieve democratization within the context of their development efforts; 4. Stresses that activities undertaken by the Organization must be in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations; 5. Encourages the Secretary-General to continue to improve the capacity of the Organization to respond effectively to the requests of Member States through coherent, adequate support of their efforts to achieve the goal of democratization; 6. Encourages Member States to promote democratization and to make additional efforts to identify possible steps to support the efforts of Governments to promote and consolidate new or restored democracies; 7. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-first session a report on the implementation of the present resolution, including innovative ways and means, as well as new reflections, to enable the Organization to respond effectively and in an integrated manner to requests of Member States for assistance in this field; 8. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-first session the item entitled "Support by the United Nations system of the efforts of Governments to promote and consolidate new or restored democracies". |