The United Nations Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG) was a United Nations (UN) peacekeeping force deployed from April 1989 to March 1990 in Namibia, known at the time as South West Africa, to monitor the peace process and elections there. Namibia had been occupied by South Africa since 1915, first under a League of Nations mandate and later illegally. Since 1966, South African forces had been combating an insurgency by the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN), the military wing of the Namibian-nationalist South West African People's Organization (SWAPO). The UN Security Council passed Resolution 435 in 1978, which set out a plan for elections administered by South Africa but under UN supervision and control after a ceasefire. However, only in 1988 were the two parties able to agree to a ceasefire. As UNTAG began to deploy peacekeepers, military observers, police, and political workers, hostilities were briefly renewed on the day the transition process was supposed to begin. After a new round of negotiations, a second date was set and the elections process began in earnest. Elections for the constitutional assembly took place in November 1989. They were peaceful and declared free and fair; SWAPO won a majority of the seats. The new constitution was adopted four months later and it was followed by Namibia's official independence and the successful conclusion of UNTAG.
The Agreement among the People's Republic of Angola, the Republic of Cuba, and the Republic of South Africa granted independence to Namibia from South Africa and ended the direct involvement of foreign troops in the Angolan Civil War. The accords were signed on 22 December 1988 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City by the Foreign Ministers of People's Republic of Angola, Republic of Cuba and Republic of South Africa.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 435, adopted on September 29, 1978, put forward proposals for a cease-fire and UN-supervised elections in South African-controlled South West Africa which ultimately led to the independence of Namibia. Importantly, it established the United Nations Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG) which oversaw the election and the South African withdrawal.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 301, adopted on October 20, 1971, after reaffirming previous resolutions on the topic, the Council condemned the Bantustans, which they described as moves designed to destroy unity and territorial integrity along with South Africa's continued illegal presence in South West Africa.
Namibia–South Africa relations refers to the current and historical relationship between Namibia and South Africa. South Africa captured the area now known as Namibia from Germany during World War I and governed it, by the name 'South West Africa', until 1990, when the country gained independence under the name 'Namibia'. During those 75 years, thousands of South Africans settled in the territory and South Africa treated the area as effectively a fifth province of both the Union and the Republic, imposing apartheid laws in South West Africa as it did in South Africa.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 387, adopted on March 31, 1976, reaffirmed the principle of a state's right to territorial integrity in the face of South African incursions into Angolan territory. The Council recognized the international disturbance at South Africa's actions and expressed its concern over them. The Resolution condemned South Africa's actions and demanded that it respect the territorial integrity of Angola. The Council further demanded that South Africa desist from using the "international Territory of Namibia" to mount provocative or aggressive acts against other states and called upon the South African government to meet Angola's just claims for compensation.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 393, adopted on July 30, 1976, after a letter from a representative from Zambia, the Council condemned a recent attack by South Africa in Zambian territory, resulting in the destruction of property and loss of life. The resolution went on to express concern at South Africa's occupation and use of South West Africa as a base for attacking neighbouring African countries, and that the continuation of this would constitute a threat to international peace and security.
United Nations Security Council resolution 447, adopted on 28 March 1979, after hearing representations from the People's Republic of Angola and the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO), the Council recalled resolutions 387 (1976) and 428 (1978) and condemned South Africa for its continuing raids in direct violation of prior resolutions.
United Nations Security Council resolution 454 was adopted on 2 November 1979. After hearing representations from the People's Republic of Angola, the Council recalled resolutions 387 (1976) and 447 (1979), noting its concern and condemned the continuing attacks on the country by South Africa through illegally-occupied South West Africa.
United Nations Security Council resolution 475, adopted on 27 June 1980, after hearing representations from the People's Republic of Angola, the Council recalled resolutions 387 (1976), 447 (1979) and 454 (1979), and expressed its concern and condemned the continuing attacks on the country by South Africa through occupied South West Africa.
United Nations Security Council resolution 539, adopted on 28 October 1983, after hearing a report from the Secretary-General and reaffirming resolutions 301 (1971), 385 (1976), 431 (1978), 432 (1978), 435 (1978), 439 (1978) and 532 (1983), the council condemned South Africa's continued occupation of Namibia, then known as South West Africa, and the tension and instability prevailing in southern Africa as a result.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 545 was adopted on 20 December 1983; after hearing representations from the People's Republic of Angola, the Council recalled resolutions 387 (1976), 428 (1978), 447 (1979), 454 (1979) and 475 (1980), and expressed its concern at the continuing attacks on the country by South Africa through occupied South West Africa.
United Nations Security Council resolution 546, adopted on 6 January 1984, after hearing representations from the People's Republic of Angola, the council recalled resolutions 387 (1976), 428 (1978), 447 (1979), 454 (1979), 475 (1980) and 545 (1983), and expressed its concern at the continuing attacks on the country by South Africa through occupied South West Africa.
United Nations Security Council resolution 566, adopted on 19 June 1985, after recalling resolutions 269 (1969), 276 (1970), 301 (1971), 385 (1976), 431 (1978), 432 (1978), 435 (1978), 439 (1978), 532 (1983) and 539 (1983), the Council expressed concern at the tension and instability caused the continued occupation of Namibia by South Africa, noting the apartheid policies implemented in the territory and that the territory was used as a springboard for attacks on other southern African countries.
United Nations Security Council resolution 567, adopted unanimously on 20 June 1985, after hearing representations from the People's Republic of Angola, the Council recalled resolutions including 387 (1976), 428 (1978), 447 (1979), 454 (1979), 475 (1980), 545 (1983) and 546 (1984), and expressed its concern at the continuing attacks on the country by South Africa through occupied South West Africa.
United Nations Security Council resolution 571, adopted unanimously on 20 September 1985, after hearing representations from the People's Republic of Angola, the Council recalled resolutions including 387 (1976), 418 (1977), 428 (1978), 447 (1979), 454 (1979), 475 (1980), 545 (1983) and 546 (1984), and expressed its concern at the continuing attacks on the country by South Africa through occupied South West Africa.
United Nations Security Council resolution 574, adopted unanimously on 7 October 1985, after hearing representations from the People's Republic of Angola, the Council recalled resolutions 387 (1976), 418 (1977), 428 (1978), 447 (1979), 454 (1979), 475 (1980), 545 (1983), 546 (1984), 567 (1985) and 571 (1985), and expressed its concern at the continuing attacks on the country by South Africa through occupied South West Africa.
United Nations Security Council resolution 577, adopted unanimously on 6 December 1985, after reaffirming Resolution 571 (1985), the Council endorsed a report by the Security Council Commission of Investigation, condemning the regime in South Africa for its continued and unprovoked attacks against the People's Republic of Angola through the occupied territory of South West Africa.
United Nations Security Council resolution 601, adopted on 30 October 1987, after recalling resolutions 269 (1969), 276 (1970), 301 (1971), 385 (1976), 431 (1978), 432 (1978), 435 (1978), 439 (1978), 532 (1983), 539 (1983) and 566 (1985), the council again condemned South Africa for its continued "illegal" occupation of Namibia and its refusal to comply with previous resolutions.
United Nations Security Council resolution 602, adopted unanimously on 25 November 1987, after hearing representations from the People's Republic of Angola, the council recalled resolutions 387 (1976), 428 (1978), 447 (1979), 454 (1979), 475 (1980), 545 (1983), 546 (1984), 567 (1985), 571 (1985), 574 (1985) and 577 (1985), expressing its concern at the continuing military incursions into the country by South Africa through occupied South West Africa (Namibia).
