The Security Council, from its 999th to 1006th meetings, March 28–April 9, 1962, considered the letter of March 20, 1962, from the permanent representative of Syria requesting the Security Council to consider the grave situation arising from the acts of aggression committed by Israel on the night of March 16–17, 1962, on the Syrian frontier and in the demilitarized zone. The Council considered simultaneously the letter of March 21, 1962, of the permanent representative of Israel bringing to its attention a recurrence of acts of aggression and provocation by Syrian armed forces, following on the previous aggressive actions reported in a letter of March 19, 1962. At the invitation of the President, Mr. Farid Chehlaoui, representative of the Syrian Arab Republic, and Mr. Michael Comay, representative of Israel, took places at the Council table.

At the 973d meeting the situation in the Congo was once again brought to the attention of the President of the Security Council, in a letter from the permanent representatives of Ethiopia, Nigeria, and the Sudan delineating conditions in Katanga caused by the lawless acts of mercenaries. Following communications from these respective delegations, representatives of Ethiopia, Belgium, India, and the Republic of the Congo (Leopoldville) were invited, at their request, to participate in the debate.

The United Nations is now playing a key role in the economic and technical development of the African continent and will undoubtedly be called upon to assume an even greater responsibility in this field during the next ten years. This development was correctly forecast five years ago by the late Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld. For he saw that the transition from the colonial era, which had made the European countries directly responsible for the development of the vast majority of the territories and peoples in Africa, prior to independence, would thrust upon the United Nations a very specific burden. As it happened, the question of the Congo has overshadowedthe other aspects of UN activity in Africa, although one can note a remarkable continuity in the progressive implementation of a coordinated program where all agencies of the United Nations family have to play their part.

The third part of the sixteenth session of the General Assembly was held at UN Headquarters from June 7 through June 28, 1962, when the sixteenth session was concluded. The Assembly considered the following agenda items, discussion of which had been deferred from the second part of the sixteenth session: 1) question of the future of Ruanda-Urundi; and 2) the question of Southern Rhodesia.

The thirty-second session of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), comprising the 1150th to the 1182d meetings inclusive, was held in Geneva from July 4 to August 4, 1961. In opening the session, Mr. Foss Shanahan (New Zealand), President for 1961, drew attention to the important role of the Council as the body primarily responsible for the work of the UN and its related agencies in promoting economic and social development.

The resumed 32nd session of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), comprising the 1183d–1186th meetings inclusive, was held in New York on December 21 and 22, 1961, under the presidency of Mr. E. Penteado (Brazil). In the 1183d meeting Mr. Franzi (Italy) introduced a draft resolution proposing that the Republic of San Marino be admitted to the Convention on Road Traffic signed at Geneva on September 19, 1959. The resolution was adopted unanimously. The delegate from Afghanistan then submitted a draft resolution proposing the inclusion of the Mongolian People's Republic in the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE). The draft resolution was adopted with no dissenting votes. Resolutions inviting Switzerland's attendance in a consultative capacity at sessions of ECAFE and the Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA) were unanimously approved. A resolution was adopted maintaining the present membership of the executive committee of the Program of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees until the General Assembly had decided on the future of the Office of the High Commissioner. Mrs. Mironova (Soviet Union) explained her delegation's abstention on the vote for the resolution on the grounds that she saw no reason for the further existence of the executive committee, since all the camps for refugees in Europe would soon be closed and the refugees resettled. She expressed the Soviet delegation's view that the countries where the refugees were living could be made responsible for them.

The Security Council at its 1012th to 1016th meetings, June 15–22, 1962, continued discussion of the situation prevailing in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. At the invitation of the President, the representatives of India and Pakistan took seats at the Council table. Mr. Adlai Stevenson (United States) expressed the opinion that it was die duty of the Council to search for a solution to this dispute which threatened the peace of the sub-continent. He referred to the common ground which existed between the two parties, namely the resolutions of the UN Commission on India and Pakistan (UNCIP) of August 13, 1948, and January 5, 1949, and in particular to paragraph 1 of the January 5 resolution which stated that “the question of the accession of the State of Jammu and Kashmir to India or Pakistan will be decided through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite”. He hoped that both parties would agree to a high-level conference to explore the prospects for negotiations and discussions which hopefully might lead to a final resolution of the dispute.

Within the space of less than six years, the African membership in the United Nations has increased from three to twenty-eight Members constituting the largest geographical group in the Organization. Furthermore, as many as seven other territories may become independent and seek membership before the end of 1965.

The 33rd session of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), comprising the 1187th through 1208th meetings, was held in New York from April 3 through April 18, 1962. At the 1187th meeting Mr. Jerzy Michalowski (Poland) was elected President of the Council, Mr. Alfonso Patifio Rosselli (Colombia) was elected First Vice-President, and Mr. Muhammed el-Farra (Jordan) was elected Second Vice-President. Mr. Michalowski noted that this was the first time that the representative of a socialist country had been elected President of the Economic and Social Council, and he hoped this was an augury of sincere cooperation between states which alone would enable the Council to succeed in its task.

Case concerning the Northern Cameroons (Cameroun v. United Kingdom): In an order of July 6, 1961, the International Court of Justice fixed the time limits for the filing of pleadings in the case concerning the Northern Cameroons as follows: for the memorial of the Republic of Cameroun, November 1, 1961; and for the countermemorial of the United Kingdom, March 1, 1962. Subsequently, in an order of November 2, 1961, the Court, in accordance with a request from the agent of the government of the Republic of Cameroun, extended to January 3, 1962, the time limit for the filing of the memorial of the Republic of Cameroun and to May 2, 1962, the time limit for the filing of the countermemorial of the United Kingdom.

The numerous unification efforts now under way in Africa represent one of the most significant developments in the brief post-independence era of that continent. Freedom has brought withit increased recognition in many African quarters of the interdependence of the African statesand the need for unified approaches to common problems. The new countries together with the handful of older independent African states have nearly all become involved in one or more of theintensified drives toward some form of integration. Paradoxically, the issue of how to achieveunity is becoming one of the principal divisions between African states.

Case concerning the Barcelona Traction, Light and Power Company, Limited (Belgium v. Spain): On June 19, 1962, the Belgian government filed with the Registrar of the Court an application instituting new proceedings against Spain on the subject of the Barcelona Traction, Light and Power Company, Limited. This claim, the subject of which is reparation for the damage caused to a number of Belgian subjects by organs of the Spanish state, had been the subject of earlier proceedings brought before the Court. Because of the possibility of negotiating the issue, the Belgian government had informed the Court that it did not wish to continue proceedings, and the Court on April 10, 1961, had removed the case from its list. The negotiations, however, failed, and the Belgian government had instituted new proceedings.

The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development announced on September 6, 1961, a loan equivalent to $3 million to the Central Bank of Costa Rica to assist in a program for the importation of equipment for the development of private industry. The loan was guaranteed by the government of Costa Rica and was for a twelve-year term; the six private banks participating in the loan for a total of $314,000 were to receive the first two maturities falling due in October 1964 and April 1965. On October 13, 1961, the Bank announced three loans. The first, amounting to $34 million, was to the National Power Corporation of the Philippines to assist in financing a large hydroelectric project on the island of Luzon. Twelve United States commercial banks participated in the loan to the amount of $1,217,000 covering the first three maturities of the 25-year term of the loan that was scheduled for semi-annual amortization payments beginning June 1, 1965. On the same day a loan of $50 million to India to assist in railway development under the Third Five-Year Plan was made known. Five United States commercial banks participated for a total of $1,075,000 in the twenty-year term loan with repayment scheduled to begin inFebruary 1965. The final loan announced on October 13 was to Costa Rica for the improvement of its highway system; the International Bank and the International Development Association (IDA) joined in making $11 million available for that purpose, each offering $5.5 million for the financing of the reconstruction and construction of about 420 miles of national and regional highways and for the import of equipment for highway construction and maintenance. Three commercial banks participated to the extent of $150,000 in the fifteen-year term loan; amortization was to begin on May 1, 1965.

The second part of the sixteenth session of the General Assembly met at UN Headquarters from January 15 through February 3, 1962, when it was adjourned. The Assembly considered the following agenda items, discussion of which had been deferred from the first part of the sixteenth session: 1) complaint by Cuba of threats to international peace and security; 2) the situation in Angola; 3) question of the future of Ruanda-Urundi; and 4) information from non-self-governing territories.

The annual report of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) pointed out that estimates of the world total volume of agricultural production, excluding mainland China, showed an increase of only one percent in 1960–1961 over the previous year. This was less than the estimated normal population growth of 1.6 percent, although if the last two seasons were taken together, production would appear to have increased slightly faster than population. The main increases in production since 1958–1959 had been primarily in the more developed parts of the world, although in each of the less developed regions the prewar level of per capita output apparently had been reached or exceeded sometime during the postwar period. The Far East (excluding mainland China), where production per head has been the lowest in the world, was estimated to have reached the prewar level in i960. In Africa, in contrast, per capita food production returned to this prewar level soon after the war but appeared to have dropped below it in the year under review. Although Latin America had regained its prewar level between 1956 and 1959, its rapid population growth has caused a sharp drop in per capita output. In the Near East also, per capita production has deteriorated recently, although itremained much higher than before the war.

The Trusteeship Council held its 29th session at UN Headquarters in New York from June 5 to July 25, 1962. At its opening meeting, the 1180th, the Council adopted its provisional agenda, which included consideration of the most recent annual reports of the administering authorities on the trust territories of Ruanda-Urundi, the Pacific Islands, Nauru, and New Guinea, as well as examination of petitions and the reports of the UN Visiting Mission to Nauru and New Guinea. It also contained reports on the attainment of self-government or independence by trust territories pursuant to Trusteeship Council Resolution 1369 (XVII) and General Assembly Resolution 1413 (XIV); and it included reports on the situations in trust territories with regard to the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, as well as reports of various committees of the Council.

The first extraordinary session of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly was convened at headquarters in Montreal from June 19 to 21, 1961, at the request of twelve of the contracting states, to consider increasing the size of the ICAO Council. The delegate of the United Kingdom proposed a change in article 50(a) of the ICAO convention to provide for 27 members of the ICAO Council instead of 21, and delegates of Venezuela, Cameroun, and South Africa immediately supported the increase. Among arguments advanced for expanding the Council were the following: 1) a Council of 21 no longer adequately represented the membership of the organization, which had reached 86; 2) adequate geographic representation was of paramount importance since international routes covered most of the world; 3) the increase would facilitate the participation in the Council's work of the more than twenty states that had achieved independence in the past few years; 4) the practice of holding an Assembly session only every three years placed greater responsibilities on the Council; and 5) all the specialized agencies except ICAO and the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization had increased the size of their executive bodies. Although there was some debate as to whether the increase ought to be to 25 or 27 members, the United Kingdom motion for the latter number prevailed, along with a proposal sponsored by the Italian and Venezuelan delegations stating that it was highly desirable for the amendment to the convention to come into force before the next Assembly session. Consequently, all contracting states to the convention were urged to ratify the amendment as soon as possible.

The Security Council at its 990th meeting discussed briefly the India-Pakistan question, which had once again been brought to its attention in letters from the representatives of India and Pakistan on the situation prevailing with regard to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The repre-sentative of Pakistan had charged in the initial complaint that since efforts for direct negotiation had failed, there was a grave danger to the maintenance of peace in the Kashmir region. Following a presentation of the question by Chaudhri Zafrulla Khan (Pakistan), the Indian delegate, Mr. Jha, asked the Council to postpone considera-tion of the issue until after the general elections in India so that the new govern-ment formed after the elections could fully participate in the discussion.

Acting Secretary-General U Thant, in his Introduction to the Annual Report of the Secretary-General on the Work of the Organization, 16 June 1961—75 June 1962, stated that the serious situation in the Congo, which had led to the tragic death of Dag Hammarskjöld, was particularly crucial among the problems of the last year. The peace-keeping operation in the Congo (ONUC) and the UN Emergency Force (UNEF) had incurred large expenditures, while a number of Member States had failed to pay their assessments for the maintenance of these peace-keeping forces. As a result, the financial difficulties facing the Organization had become increasingly serious in the last year. In an effort to ease the UN's financial problems, the General Assembly had requested the International Court of Justice for an advisory opinion on the question of whether the expenditures for maintaining ONUC and UNEF constituted expenses of the Organization within the meaning of Article 17, paragraph 2, of the Charter and therefore represented binding legal obligations on Member States to pay their assessments for these operations. The General Assembly had also authorized the Secretary-General to issue during 1962 and 1963 up to $200 million of UN bonds.

The sixteenth annual repot of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, covering the fiscal year July 1, 1960, to June 30, 1961, was presented to the Board of Governors on September 19, 1961. The report noted that in the year under review the activities of the International Bank had been part of a broadening stream of financial and technical assistance to the less developed countries. Aid had been provided by: 1) the International Development Association (IDA), an affiliate of the Bank which was designed to aid economic growth by means of credits bearing less heavily on the balance of payments of underdeveloped countries than conventional loans; 2) the Inter-American Development Bank, which attempted to increase the flow of development funds and to coordinate efforts to assist economic development; 3) the UN Special Fund, which had financed pre-investment surveys, in some cases with the International Bank acting as executing agent; and 4) the Development Assistance Group (DAG), which consisted of ten governments that carried on continued consultations—several of these governments had taken steps to facilitate their extension of aid to the less developed countries. The report noted that the Bank had continued to cooperate with the capital markets and with private institutional investors in raising capital for economic development.