United Nations Security Council Resolution 264
Encyclopedia
United Nations
Security Council Resolution 264 was adopted on March 20, 1969, after a General Assembly
resolution terminated the mandate
of South West Africa
(Namibia
).
In accordance with UNSCR 264, the UN assumed direct responsibility for the territory and declared the continued presence of South Africa
in Namibia as illegal, calling upon the Government of South Africa to withdraw immediately.
The Security Council condemned the refusal of South Africa to comply with previous resolutions, declared that South Africa had no right to enact the South West Africa Affairs Bill and that South African actions were designed to destroy the national unity and territorial integrity of Namibia through the establishment of Bantustans. The Council decided that, in the event of failure on the part of the Government of South Africa to comply with the provisions of the present resolution, it would meet immediately to determine the necessary measures to be taken. It gave the United Nations Secretary-General
the responsibility of following up implementation of the resolution, and reporting back to the Security Council.
The resolution passed with 13 votes in favour; France
and the United Kingdom
abstained.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Security Council Resolution 264 was adopted on March 20, 1969, after a General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
resolution terminated the mandate
League of Nations mandate
A League of Nations mandate was a legal status for certain territories transferred from the control of one country to another following World War I, or the legal instruments that contained the internationally agreed-upon terms for administering the territory on behalf of the League...
of South West Africa
South West Africa
South-West Africa was the name that was used for the modern day Republic of Namibia during the earlier eras when the territory was controlled by the German Empire and later by South Africa....
(Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
).
In accordance with UNSCR 264, the UN assumed direct responsibility for the territory and declared the continued presence of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in Namibia as illegal, calling upon the Government of South Africa to withdraw immediately.
The Security Council condemned the refusal of South Africa to comply with previous resolutions, declared that South Africa had no right to enact the South West Africa Affairs Bill and that South African actions were designed to destroy the national unity and territorial integrity of Namibia through the establishment of Bantustans. The Council decided that, in the event of failure on the part of the Government of South Africa to comply with the provisions of the present resolution, it would meet immediately to determine the necessary measures to be taken. It gave the United Nations Secretary-General
United Nations Secretary-General
The Secretary-General of the United Nations is the head of the Secretariat of the United Nations, one of the principal organs of the United Nations. The Secretary-General also acts as the de facto spokesperson and leader of the United Nations....
the responsibility of following up implementation of the resolution, and reporting back to the Security Council.
The resolution passed with 13 votes in favour; France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
abstained.
See also
- List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 201 to 300 (1965 – 1971)
- United Nations Commissioner for NamibiaUnited Nations Commissioner for NamibiaUnited Nations Commissioner for South-West Africa was a post created by the United Nations General Assembly in 1966 to assert the UN's direct responsibility for South-West Africa which was then under illegal occupation by apartheid South Africa....
- United Nations Security Council Resolution 435United Nations Security Council Resolution 435United 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...