SUBMITTED TO: The General Assembly
SUBJECT: The Situation on Montserrat
PROPOSED BY: Barbados
SIGNATORIES:  Belgium, Hungary, Cuba, Macedonia, Iran, Germany

1)  The General Assembly,

2) Bearing in mind the seriousness of the 1995 Soufriere Hills volcanic explosion and 
3) later explosions in the following years on the British Overseas Territory of Montserrat, 
4) which caused the closure of two thirds of the island and the departure of five thousand 
5) three hundred Montserratians from the island, and

6) Aware that the northern third of the island has been approved by volcanologists on the 
7) island as safe and inhabitable, and

8) Recognizing that the small size of the island, only 40 square miles, has made
9) inhabitation difficult for those that were able to stay following the explosion, and

10) Noting the need for housing for the Montserratians who lost their homes due to the  
11) volcanic eruption, many of whom know live in shelters, and

12) Acknowledging that the already fragile economy of Montserrat was seriously affected 
13) by the volcanic explosion, as exhibited by the decrease in the GDP and employment 
14) rate of the island, and

15) Applauding the efforts of the Caribbean Community, the Organisation of Eastern 
16) Caribbean States, the European Union, the Governments of Barbados, Antigua and 
17) Barbuda, all other Caribbean nations, and the United Kingdom, The Caribbean 
18) Development Bank, the Montserrat Red Cross, the United Nations Development 
19) Program, and all other organizations and governments that aided the Montserratians, 
20) and

21) Recalling General Assembly Resolutions 50/38, 52/77, and 56/72:

22)  1. Calls upon the Montserrat Economic Development Unit to continue its work in:
23)  a. Promoting investment on the island, through investment incentives or 
24)  other appropriate means,
25)  b. Encouraging resettlement of the island in an appropriate, safe, and timely 
26)  manner,
27)  c. Rebuilding the tourist industry,
28)  d. Focusing on sustainable development, such as:
29)     i.  Construction of new schools
30)     ii.  Development of utilities
31)     iii.  Tourist accommodations
32)     iv.  Road construction
33)  e.  Ensuring that the government acts in a democratic manner; and

34)  2. Requests that all nearby Caribbean nations continue to cooperate with
35)  Montserrat, as it rebuilds itself; and

36)  3. Calls upon the Caribbean Community to assist the Montserrat 
37)  Economic Development Unit in its goals; and

38)  4. Recognizing the dangerous amounts of ash and other harmful airborne materials 
39)  emitted by the Soufriere Hills Volcano, as well as the threat the ash and other 
40)  materials pose to the health of the inhabitants of Montserrat; and

41)  5. Expresses its hope that the Montserrat Red Cross, Montserrat Volcano Observatory, 
42)  United Nations Environmental Programme, and the Carribean Community will continue 
43)  and strengthen their efforts to protect and safeguard the health and well-being of 
44)  the people of Montserrat; and

45)  4. Recommends the cooperation between the Montserrat Volcano               
46)  Observatory and the United Nations Environmental Programme, regarding the 
47)  current and future state of the volcano; and

48)  5. Commends the efforts of the Montserrat Red Cross to aid Montserrat in 
49)  rebuilding, as well as in preparations for possible disasters in the future; and

50)  6. Decides to admit Montserrat as an observer member nation to the United Nations
52)  Information Centre for the Caribbean Area (UNIC);

53)  7. Takes note of the thousands of Montserratians that have been forced or otherwise 
54)  chosen to flee the island of Montserrat due to volcanic activity and various other 
55)  environmental dangers; and

56)  8. Recognizes the right of return of Montserratians as laid out in Article 13(2) of 
57)  the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other tenets of international law; and

58)  9. Urges the Montserrat Economic Development Unit, Caribbean Community, Montserrat 
59)  Volcano Observatory, United Nations Environmental Programme, Montserrat Red Cross, 
60)  and other relevant organizations to adopt the goal of making the socio-economic, 
61)  environmental, and health situation on Montserrat suitable to the return of its 
62)  inhabitants who have been forced or otherwise chosen to flee; and

63)  7. Expresses its regrets at the results of the disaster, as well as its hope for 
64)  the future of the island.