Full implementation of reconstruction programme in Lebanon awaits effective security.

The international community should give concrete form to its pledges to support Lebanon's reconstruction and development "as soon as conditions permit the resumption of Lebanon's reconstruction programme", according to a report of the Secretary-General on assistance for the reconstruction and development of Lebanon (A/39/390).

The report, issued in September, says the United Nations has had a substantial and active presence in Lebanon. Many specialized agencies and other United Nations system organizations still maintain regional offices in Beirut, namely the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the World Health Organization, in addition to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Food Programme and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East offices concerned with Lebanon alone. A United Nations peace-keeping force (UNIFIL) has been stationed in South Lebanon since 1978, and its humanitarian activities have had an important economic and social impact in its area of operation.

Unfortunately, the report states, peace and stability continued to elude the country. The situation has had an adverse effect on the United Nations activities in Lebanon. UNESCO's offices were destroyed in the 1982 war, and all staff were reassigned to Headquarters. Plans were agreed upon the following year with the Government of Lebanon for rebuilding the premises and the return of the regional office to Beirut, but work was interrupted by renewed fighting. Closure of the airport and general insecurity had obliged first ILO and the UNICEF to move regional offices temporarily out of Lebanon to Geneva and Amman, respectively. UNDP, which had already suffered a 40 per cent across-the-board cut in its programme, had been obliged to reduce drastically its operations in Lebanon.

Emergency Relief

The principal focus of the activities of the United Nations system has become the provision of emergency relief assistance to the victims of the fighting and violence, the report continues. With brief interruptions, this has been...