Motion for a resolution | Doc. 235 | 19 May 1954
Development of the untapped resources of Africa through common action by the member countries of the Council of Europe
The Assembly,
Considering that the association of all European countries — including those without colonial responsibilities — in a common effort to develop the untapped resources of Africa is an indispensable condition of the recovery of the European economy and of the raising of the standard of living of the native peoples ;
Recognising that such European collaboration would be a safeguard of political stability in the dependent African territories and would be of great help in the evolution of the native peoples along democratic principles ;
Having noted the activities of the Committee on Economic Questions, particularly in connection with the Strasbourg Plan and the proposal for the creation of European Companies,
1. Requests that a study be made :
a. of the prospects open for foreign investment in the dependent African territories and of the legislative and administrative conditions to -which foreign companies are required to conform. This should be done with an eye to the great benefit to be derived from publishing the information thus compiled and making it available to all parties concerned ;
b. of ways and means whereby national and foreign capital could be associated for the development of the untapped resources of these territories ;
c. of appropriate measures for the protection of foreign capital against non-commercial risks and, in particular, the possibility of certain companies being granted by national legislation a waiver to some fiscal and exchange regulations with the aim of encouraging international co-operation in Africa;
2. Expresses the hope that those Member Governments which have colonial responsibilities in Africa will also, instruct their competent services to submit these problems to examination.