Cablegram Saving 23, NEW YORK, 10 November 1949, 11.20 a.m.
RESTRICTED
Following is text of resolution on full employment adopted by Second Committee of General Assembly on 3 November:
‘THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1. Notes the discussions which have taken place at the ninth session of the Economic and Social Council on problems of employment and economic stability and the adoption of resolution 221 (IX) E[1] of the Council and the resolution on unemployment adopted by the International Labor Conference on 1 July 1949;
2. Approves the action of the Secretary-General in inviting a group of experts to report on national and international measures required to achieve and maintain full employment;
BELIEVES 3. That national and international action by Members, designed to promote and maintain full employment in accordance with Articles 55 and 56 of the Charter, is a basic requirement for the achievement of a stable and expanding world economy;
4. That, in addition, action is needed to overcome unemployment and under-employment such as that arising, particularly in under-developed countries, among large numbers of people engaged in agricultural pursuits; and that, to this end, it is necessary inter alia to stimulate the economic development of under-developed countries;
5. That the objectives of international agreements for the furtherance of the production and consumption of, and expansion of international trade in goods on as free as possible a basis would be seriously impaired by failure to take or by delay in taking action designed to maintain full and productive employment especially in those countries which have an important share in world trade;
6. That a high and stable level of international investment, particularly in under-developed areas of the world, would contribute materially to the realization of those objectives;
NOTES WITH SATISFACTION 7. Declarations of various governments of their intention to deal promptly with unemployment, and their recognition of the contribution which such steps will make towards the maintenance of world-wide economic stability; and that the measures they have already put into effect or have under study for increasing purchasing power and for promoting full employment include such measures as the extention of unemployment insurance, the expansion of social services generally, public works programmes including low-cost housing and natural resources development projects, measures affecting the level and methods of taxation, incentives for the encouragement of private capital investment, and 8. The intention of the Economic and Social Council to study further the related questions of measures to achieve full employment and to encourage international investment;
9. RECOMMENDS that each Government consider, as a matter of urgency, its international responsibility under Articles 55 and 56 of the Charter to take actions as the need arises, designed to promote and maintain full and productive employment, through measures appropriate to its political, economic and social institutions;
10. REQUESTS the Economic and Social Council during its consideration of full employment and economic development to give attention to unemployment and under-employment, especially in under-developed countries and particularly in such critical fields as agriculture; and 11. DECIDES that the world economic situation be reviewed again at the next session of the General Assembly in the light of Articles 55 and 56 of the Charter.’[2]
_[1] That is the joint resolution summarised in Document 237.
[2] The General Assembly adopted the resolution by 41 to 5 with 2 abstentions on 25 November 1949.
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[AA : A1838, 852/11/6]