ITEMS RELATING TO THE SITUATION IN SOMALIA

Letter dated 20 January 1992 from the Charge d'affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission of Somalia to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Seeurlty Council
Decision
At its 3039th meeting, on 23 January 1992, the Council decided to invite the representative of Somalia to participate, without vote, in the discussion ofthe item entitled "Letter dated 20 January 1992 from the Charge d'affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission ofSomalia to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/23445)".3
Resolution 733 (1992)
or 23 January 1992
The Serurity Council,
Considering the request by Somalia for the Security Council to consider the situation in Somalia,174
Having heard the report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Somalia and commending the initiative taken by him in the humanitarian field,
Gravely alarmed at the rapid deterioration of the situation in Somalia and the heavy loss of human life and widespread material damage resulting from the conflict in the country and aware of its consequences on stability and peace in the region,
Concerned that the continuation of this situation constitutes, as stated in the report of the Secretary-General, a threat to international peace and security,

1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Somalia and expresses its concern with the situation prevailing in that country;
2. Requests the Secretary-General immediately to undertake the necessary actions to increase humanitarian assistance by the United Nations and its specialized agencies to the affected population in all parts of Somalia in liaison with the other international humanitarian organizations and to this end to appoint a coordinator to oversee the effective delivery of this assistance;
3. Also requests the Secretary-General of the United Nations, in cooperation with the Secretary-General of the Organization ofAfrican Unity and the Secretary-General ofthe League of Arab States, immediately to contact all parties involved in the conflict, to seek their commitment to the cessation of hostilities in order to permit the humanitarian assistance to be distributed, to promote a cease-fire and compliance therewith, and to assist in the process of a political settlement of the conflict in Somalia;
4. Strongly urges all parties to the conflict immediately to cease hostilities and agree to a cease-fire and to promote the process of reconciliation and of political settlement in Somalia;
5. Decides, under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, that all States shall, for the purposes of establishing peace and stability in Somalia, immediately implement a general and complete embargo on all deliveries of weapons and military equipment to Somalia until the Council decides otherwise;
6. Calls on all States to refrain from any action which might contribute to increasing tension and to impeding or delaying a peaceful and negotiated outcome to the conflict in Somalia, which would permit all Somalis to decide upon and to construct their future in peace;

Recalling its primary responsibility under the Charter of the United Nations for the maintenance ofinternational peace and security,
Recalling also the provisions of Chapter VIII of the Charter,
Expressing its appreciation to the international and regional organizations that have provided assistance to the populations affected by the conflict and deploring that personnel of these organizations have lost their lives in the exercise of their humanitarian tasks,
Taking note of the appeals addressed to the parties by the Chairman ofthe Organization of the Islamic Conference on 16 December 1991, the Secretary-General of the Organization of African Unity on 18 December 1991175 and the League of Arab States on 5 January 1992,176

7. Calls upon all parties to cooperate with the SecretaryGeneral to this end and to facilitate the delivery by the United Nations, its specialized agencies and other humanitarian organizations of humanitarian assistance to all those in need of it, under the supervision of the coordinator;
8. Urges all parties to take all the necessary measures to ensure the safety of personnel sent to provide humanitarian assistance, to assist them in their tasks and to ensure full respect for the rules and principles of international law regarding the protection of civilian populations;
9. Calls upon all States and international organizations to contribute to the efforts of humanitarian assistance to the population in Somalia;
10. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the Security Council as soon as possible on this matter;

55

11. Decides to remain seized of the matter until a peaceful solution is achieved.
Adopted unanimously at the 3039th meeting.
Decisions
In a letter dated 3 February 1992,177 addressed to the President of the Security Council, for the attention of the members of the Council, the Secretary-General enclosed a letter dated 31 January 1992178 from the Charge d'affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations transmitting the text of a letter from the Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany addressed to the SecretaryGeneral, and requesting that that letter be brought to the attention of the members of the Council. The letter referred to the great danger which the mining of the entire territory of northern Somalia constituted for the civilian population, and stated that the German non-governmental organization Komitee Kap Anamur had asked the German Government to support a mine-clearing programme which was already being implemented by Komitee Kap Anamur. In particular, the Committee had asked for the provision of two demilitarized mine-clearing tanks. The German Government was ready to grant that request and assumed that that humanitarian measure did not conflict with the provisions of Council resolution 733 (1992).
In a letter dated 5 February 1992,179 the President of the Security Council informed the Secretary-General as follows:
"I have the honour to inform you that your letter dated 3 February 1992177 transmitting a communication from the Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany has been brought to the attention of the members of the Council. They have taken note of the intention of the German Government and have no objection thereto."
The situation in Somalia
Decisions
At its 3060th meeting, on 17 March 1992, the Council decided to invite the representatives of Italy, Kenya, Nigeria and Somalia to participate, without vote, in the discussion of the item entitled:
"The situation in Somalia:
(a) "Letter dated 20 January 1992 from the Charge d'affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission of Somalia to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/23445);3
(b) "Report of the Secretary-General (S/23693 and Corr.1)".3

At the same meeting, the Council also decided, at the

request

of the

representative

of

Morocco,

1 &J

to

extend

an

invitation to Mr. Engin Ansay, Permanent Observer of the

Organization of the Islamic Conference to the United Nations,

under rule 39 of its provisional rules of procedure.

At the same meeting, the Council also decided, at the request of the representative of Morocco,181 to extend an invitation to Mr. Aboul Nasr, Permanent Observer of the League of Arab States to the United Nations, under rule 39 of
the provisional rules of procedure.

Resolution 746 (1992) or 17 March 1992
The Security Council,
Considering the request by Somalia for the Security Council to consider the situation in Somalia,174
Reaffinning its resolution 733 (1992) of 23 January 1992,
Having considered the report of the Secretary-General of 11 March 1992182 on the situation in Somalia,
Taking note of the signing at Mogadishu on 3 March 1992 of the cease-fire agreements,183 including agreements for the implementation of measures aimed at stabilizing the cease-fire through a United Nations monitoring mission,
Deeply regretting that the factions have not yet abided by their commitment to implement the cease-fire and thus have still not permitted the unimpeded provision and distribution of humanitarian assistance to the people in need in Somalia,
Deeply disturbed by the magnitude of the human suffering caused by the conflict and concerned that the continuation of the situation in Somalia constitutes a threat to international peace and security,
Bearing in mind that the factors described in paragraph 76 of the Secretary-General's report must be taken into account,
Cognizant of the importance of cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations in the context of Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations,
Underlining the importance which it attaches to the international, regional and non-governmental organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, continuing to provide humanitarian and other relief assistance to the people of Somalia under difficult circumstances,
Expressing its appreciation to the regional organizations, including the Organization of African Unity, the League of Arab States and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, for their cooperation with the United Nations in the effort to resolve the Somali problem,

56