A/RES/54/97
28 January 2000

Fifty-fourth session
Agenda item 20 (c)

RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

[without reference to a Main Committee (A/54/L.22/Rev.1 and Add.1)]

54/97. Strengthening of international cooperation and coordination of efforts to 
study, mitigate and minimize the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster

    The General Assembly,

    Reaffirming its resolutions 45/190 of 21 December 1990, 46/150 of 18 December 1991, 47/165 of 18 December 1992, 48/206 of 21 December 1993, 50/134 of 20 December 1995 and 52/172 of 16 December 1997, and taking note of the decisions adopted by the organs, organizations and programmes of the United Nations system in the implementation of those resolutions,

    Recalling Economic and Social Council resolutions 1990/50 of 13 July 1990, 1991/51 of 26 July 1991 and 1992/38 of 30 July 1992 and Council decision 1993/232 of 22 July 1993,

    Noting with appreciation the contribution made by States and by organizations of the United Nations system to the development of cooperation to mitigate and minimize the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster, and the activities of regional and other organizations, in particular the Commission of the European Communities, as well as bilateral activities and those of non-governmental organizations,

    Conscious of the long-term nature of the consequences of the disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, which was a major technological catastrophe in terms of its scope and created humanitarian, environmental, social, economic and health consequences and problems of common concern, requiring for their solution wide and active international cooperation and coordination of efforts in this field at the international and national levels,

    Stressing that the Governments of the affected countries have a primary role to play in facilitating efforts to mitigate the humanitarian consequences of the Chernobyl catastrophe, including the efforts of non-governmental organizations in providing humanitarian assistance,

    Expressing profound concern about newly emerged signs of the effects on the lives and health of people, in particular children, in the affected areas of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, as well as in other countries affected by the Chernobyl disaster,

    Taking into consideration the findings and outcome of the visit of the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs to the affected areas in Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine in October 1998,

    Noting the readiness of Ukraine to close the Chernobyl nuclear power plant by 2000, in accordance with the memorandum of understanding between the Governments of the members of the Group of Seven and the Commission of the European Communities and the Government of Ukraine on the closure of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, and bearing in mind the support already provided by a number of countries and international organizations for that purpose and the need for further support from relevant countries and international organizations,

    1. Requests the Secretary-General to continue his efforts in the implementation of the relevant General Assembly resolutions and, through existing coordination mechanisms, in particular the United Nations Coordinator of International Cooperation on Chernobyl, to continue to maintain close cooperation with the agencies of the United Nations system, as well as with regional and other relevant organizations, with a view to encouraging the regular exchange of information, cooperation and coordination of multilateral and bilateral efforts in those areas, while implementing programmes and specific projects, inter alia, in the framework of relevant agreements and arrangements;

    2. Invites States, in particular donor States, relevant multilateral financial institutions and other concerned parties of the international community, including non-governmental organizations, to continue to provide support to the ongoing efforts made by Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine to mitigate the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster and to pay special attention to the United Nations Appeal for International Cooperation on Chernobyl, launched in April 1999;

    3. Emphasizes the importance of full cooperation and assistance by the authorities of the affected countries in facilitating the work of humanitarian organizations, including non-governmental organizations, to mitigate the humanitarian consequences of the Chernobyl catastrophe, notes the measures already taken by the Governments of the affected countries in this regard, and encourages them to take further measures to simplify their relevant internal procedures and to identify ways in which to make their systems of granting exemption from customs and other duties more effective with regard to goods provided free of charge as humanitarian assistance by humanitarian organizations, including non-governmental organizations;

    4. Welcomes the efforts made by the United Nations, in cooperation with the Governments of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, to promote the Inter-Agency Programme of International Assistance to Areas Affected by the Chernobyl Disaster;

    5. Welcomes also the convening by the United Nations of a number of special international meetings on Chernobyl to generate further support to the populations of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine affected by the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster, and urges the international community and the Governments of the affected countries to continue to contribute towards the implementation of the projects specified in the above-mentioned inter-agency programme;

    6. Expresses its appreciation for the contributions made to the shelter implementation plan aimed at securing the environmental safety of the sarcophagus covering the remains of the destroyed Chernobyl reactor, and urges further contributions to the plan;

    7. Welcomes the decision of the heads of State and Government of the seven major industrial States and the European Union, adopted at Cologne, Germany, in June 1999, to help to ensure the continued financing and progress in work under the shelter implementation plan and, in this regard, welcomes the convening of the pledging conference in Germany in May 2000;

    9. Urges the United Nations Coordinator of International Cooperation on Chernobyl to continue his efforts aimed at strengthening international cooperation to overcome the health, social, economic and ecological consequences of the Chernobyl disaster in the most affected areas of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, based on the Inter-Agency Programme of International Assistance to Areas Affected by the Chernobyl Disaster;

    10. Calls upon the Secretary-General to continue the regular exchange of information with the countries concerned, relevant organizations and bodies of the United Nations system, with a view to enhancing world public awareness of the consequences of such disasters;

    11. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-sixth session, under a separate sub-item, a report containing a comprehensive assessment of the implementation of the present resolution and proposals for innovative measures for optimizing the effectiveness of the response of the international community to the Chernobyl disaster.

73rd. plenary meeting
8 December 1999