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.
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.
Relations between Angola and South Africa in the post-apartheid era are quite strong as the ruling parties in both states, the African National Congress in South Africa and the MPLA in Angola, fought together during the Angolan Civil War and South African Border War. They fought against UNITA rebels, based in Angola, and the apartheid-era government in South Africa which supported them. Nelson Mandela mediated between the MPLA and UNITA during the final years of the Angolan Civil War. Although South Africa was preponderant in terms of relative capabilities during the late twentieth century, the recent growth of Angola has led to a more balanced relation.
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 428, adopted unanimously on May 6, 1978, after hearing representations from the People's Republic of Angola, Zambia and the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO), the Council reminded Member States to refrain from using threats and use of force in their international relations. Reiterating Resolution 387 (1976), the present resolution condemned South Africa for its armed invasion of Angola via South West Africa (Namibia).
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 455, adopted on 23 November 1979, after taking note of representations from Zambia and recalling Resolution 424 (1978), the Council expressed concern and condemned the "illegal racist regime" in Southern Rhodesia for its "sustained pattern of violations aimed at destroying the economic infrastructure" of Zambia and causing a number of deaths.
United Nations Security Council resolution 473, adopted unanimously on 13 June 1980, after recalling resolutions 392 (1976), 417 (1977), 418 (1977), 454 (1979) and 466 (1980) and letters from the Committee for South Africa, the council expressed its concern and condemned South Africa for the killing of protesters, including schoolchildren, opposed to apartheid.
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 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 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 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).
United Nations Security Council resolution 804, adopted unanimously on 29 January 1993, after reaffirming resolutions 696 (1991), 747 (1992), 785 (1992) and 793 (1992), and expressing its concern at lack of implementation of the "Acordos de Paz para Angola" in Angola, the council approved a recommendation by the Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali to extend the mandate of the United Nations Angola Verification Mission II for a further three months until 30 April 1993.
United Nations Security Council resolution 864, adopted unanimously on 15 September 1993, after reaffirming resolutions 696 (1991), 747 (1992), 785 (1992), 793 (1992), 804 (1993), 811 (1993), 823 (1993), 834 (1993) and 851 (1993), the Council noted the continuing situation in Angola and went on to condemn and place international sanctions on UNITA.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1180, adopted unanimously on 29 June 1998, after reaffirming Resolution 696 (1991) and all subsequent resolutions on Angola, particularly resolutions 1173 (1998) and 1176 (1998), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Observer Mission in Angola (MONUA) until 15 August 1998.
