A/RES/56/25 Also bearing in mind the importance of information, research, education and training for peace, disarmament and development in order to achieve understanding and cooperation among States, Recognizing the need to provide the three United Nations regional centres for peace and disarmament with sufficient financial resources for the planning and implementation of their programmes of activities, 1. Reiterates its strong support for the role of the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean in the promotion of United Nations activities at the regional level to strengthen peace, stability, security and development among its member States; 2. Expresses its satisfaction and congratulates the Regional Centre for the vast range of activities carried out last year; 3. Encourages the Regional Centre to continue to provide assistance for the States of the region in all issues related to disarmament, including the effective implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects14 and, in this connection, welcomes the holding of a regional seminar in Santiago, from 19 to 21 November 2001; 4. Expresses its appreciation for the political support and financial contributions to the Regional Centre, which are essential for its continued operation; 5. Invites all States of the region to take part in the activities of the Regional Centre, proposing items for inclusion in its agenda, making greater and better use of the Centre’s potential to meet the current challenges facing the international community and with a view to fulfilling the aims of the Charter of the United Nations in the fields of peace, disarmament and development; 6. Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on the relationship between disarmament and development, 16 and supports the role that the Regional Centre plays to promote those issues in the region in pursuit of its mandate to promote economic and social development related to peace and disarmament; 7. Appeals to Member States, in particular the States of the Latin American and Caribbean region, and to international governmental and non-governmental organizations and to foundations, to make voluntary contributions to strengthen the Regional Centre, its programme of activities and the implementation thereof; 8. Requests the Secretary-General to provide the Regional Centre with all necessary support, within existing resources, so that it may carry out its programme of activities in accordance with its mandate; 9. Also requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its fifty-seventh session on the implementation of the present resolution; 10. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-seventh session the item entitled “United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean”. 68th plenary meeting 29 November 2001 _______________ 16 A/56/183. 9