A/RES/S-9/2 GA
Declaration on Namibia and Programme of Action in Support of Self-Determination and National Independence for Namibia : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly
119
Yes
0
No
21
Abstentions
| Draft symbol | A/RES/S-9/2 |
|---|---|
| Adopted symbol | A/RES/S-9/2 |
| P5 Positions |
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| UN Document | A/RES/S-9/2 ↗ |
Vote Recorded Vote — A/S-9/PV.15
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Full text of resolution
General Assembly-Ninth Special Session
III.
RESOLUTION ADOPTED ON THE REPORT OF THE AD HOC COMMITIEE
OF THE NINTH SPECIAL SESSION
3
S-9 /2.
Declaration on Namibia and Programme
of Action in Support of Self-Determina-
tion and
National
Independence
for
Namibia
The General Assembly,
Gravely concerned at the threat to international
peace and security pos·ed by the continued illegal oc-
cupation of Namibia by South Africa,
Conscious of its responsibilities under its resolu-
tions 2145 (XXI) of 27 October 1966 and 2248
(S-V) of 19 May 1967 and its subsequent resolutions
relating to the question of Namibia,
Recalling the Declaration of Dakar on Namibia and
Human Rights,4 adopted by the International Con-
ference on Namibia and Human Rights, held at Dakar
from 5 to 8 January 1976,
Recalling further the Maputo Declaration in Sup-
port of the Peoples of Zimbabwe and Namibia and
the Programme of Action for the Liberation of Zim-
babwe and Namibia,5 adopted by the International
Conference in Support of the Peoples of Zimbabwe
and Namibia, held at Maputo from 16 to 21 May 1977,
Bearing in mind the 1978 Lusaka Declaration of
the United Nations Council for Namibia,6 adopted
on 23 March 1978,
Reaffirming that the Territory and people of Namibia
are the direct responsibility of the United Nations and
that the Namibian people under the leadership of the
South West Africa People's Organization, their sole and
authentic representative, must be enabled to attain self-
determination, freedom and genuine independence
within a united Namibia, including Walvis Bay,
Cognizant that the deteriorating situation in Namibia
resulting from the attempts of South Africa to per~
petuate its illegal occupation of the Territory and its
increased acts of aggression and repression against the
people of Namibia, necessitated the convening of the
current special session of the General Assembly in
order urgently to initiate action which would speedily
bring about the genuine independence of the Territory
of Namibia,
Adopts the following Declaration on Namibia and
Programme of Action in Support of Self-Determina-
tion and National Independence for Namibia:
8 For the report of the Ad Hoe Committee, see Official
Records of the General Assembly, Ninth Special Session An-
nexes, agenda item 7, document A/S-9/11.
'
• 4 Official Records of the General Assembly, Thirty-first Ses-
sion, Supplement No. 24 (A/31/24), vol. II, annex II, para. 51.
5 A/32/109/Rev.l-S/12344/Rev.l, annex V. For the printed
text, see Official Records of the Security Council, Thirty-second
Year, Supplement for July, August and September 1977.
6 ~/S-9/2-S/12?3 l, annex. For the printed text of the Dec-
larat10n, see Official Records of the General Assembly Ninth
Special Session, Supplement No.1 (AIS-9/4), chap. v1.'
3
I.
DECLARATION ON NAMIBIA
1.
The General Assembly reiterates that Namibia
is the direct responsibility of the United Nations
until genuine self-determination and national inde-
pendence are achieved in the Territory and, for this
purpose, reaffirms the mandate given to the United
Nations Council for Namibia as the legal Adminis-
tering Authority for Namibia until independence.
2.
The General Assembly reaffirms the inalien-
able rights of the Namibian people to self-determina-
tion, freedom and national independence in a united
Namibia, in accordance with the Charter of the
United Nations and as declared in Assembly reso-
lutions 1514 (XV) of 14 December 1960 and 2145
(XXI) of 27 October 1966, as well as in its sub-
sequent resolutions and those of the Security Council
relating to Namibia, and the legitimacy of their
struggle by all means at their disposal against the
illegal occupation of Namibia by South Africa.
3.
The General Assembly stresses its commit-
ment to end South Africa's illegal occupation of
Namibia by ensuring its complete and unconditional
withdrawal to enable the Namibian people, under
the leadership of the South West Africa People's
Organization, to exercise freely their right to self-
determination and independence.
4.
The General Assembly strongly condemns the
colonialist and racist regime of South Africa for its
continued illegal occupation of Namibia in defiance
of repeated demands by the Assembly and the Secu-
rity Council for its withdrawal from the Territory,
and further condemns South Africa for its attempts
to perpetuate its illegal occupation of Namibia and
for its escalated brutal repression of the Namibian
people.
5.
The General Assembly expresses its grave
concern that, in complete defiance of continued de-
mands by the international community, members
of the South West Africa People's Organization and
its supporters continue to be constantly harassed,
intimidated and humiliated. There has been an
escalation of the arbitrary mass arrest, torture deten-
tion and imprisonment of members of th; South
West Africa People's Organization. Prolonged illegal
and fraudulent trials of its members are being con-
ducted to undermine it and drain its financial
resources.
6.
The General Assembly condemns the crea-
tion of tribal armies in Namibia by South Africa as
a me~sure of ensuring _its. contra! of the Territory
after mdependence. It 1s imperative that all tribal
armies be dissolved in order to prevent additional
sources of conflict within the Territory.
7.
The General Assembly condemns the military
build-up ?f South Africa in Namibia in preparation
for a ma1or confrontation with the liberation forces
4
General Assembly-Ninth Special Session
led by the South West Africa People's Organization.
In order to increase its military activities in Namibia,
South Africa is intensifying the recruitment of mer-
cenaries and organizing tribal armies in the Territory.
South Africa has increased the shipment into Nami-
bia of large numbers of tanks and large quantities of
ammunition and is constructing additional army bar-
racks.
8.
The General Assembly strongly condemns
South Africa for exploiting the uranium resources of
Namibia and for pursuing policies of nuclear adven-
turism with incalculable consequences for the people
of Namibia and Africa as a whole.
9.
The General Assembly strongly deprecates
any collaboration with South Africa in the develop-
ment of nuclear weapons that could enable it to
intimidate neighbouring African States and thus per-
petuate its colonialist and racist regime in Namibia.
10.
The aggressive policies of the South African
occupation regime in Namibia are further reflected
in its repeated acts of aggression against, military
incursions into, and violations of the territorial in-
tegrity of, the neighbouring States, in particular An-
gola and Zambia, causing considerable loss of human
life and damage to property. These activities have
the immediate objective of consolidating the position
of the occupation regime and of carrying out its
hegemonistic ambitions in the region.
11.
The General Assembly reiterates that Walvis
Bay is an integral part of Namibia and condemns
South Africa in the strongest possible terms for its
decision to annex Walvis Bay, thus violating the
principle of the territorial integrity of Namibia, which
is embodied in relevant resolutions of the Assembly
and the Security Council, including Council resolu-
tion 385 (1976) of 30 January 1976. It further
reiterates that this decision is illegal, null and void
and that it is an act of aggression ag,ainst the N ami-
bian people. The existence of South African military
bases in Walvis Bay is a threat to the national secu-
rity of Namibia. The illegal annexation of Walvis
Bay, the main port and vital economic avenue of
Namibia, is a deliberate attempt to undermine the
territorial integrity, economic independence and na-
tional security of Namibia.
12.
The General Assembly reiterates that South
Africa's illegal occupation of Namibia constitutes a
continued act of aggression against the Namibian
people and against the United Nations. The mili-
tarization of Namibia by South Africa, its develop-
ment of nuclear weapons, its brutal use of force
against the Namibian people, its attempts to under-
mine the South West Africa People's Organization,
the vanguard of the Namibian liberation struggle, its
attempts to destroy the national unity and territorial
integrity of Namibia and its acts of aggression against
neighbouring independent African States clearly con-
stitute a serious threat to peace and security in the
region and to international peace and security.
13.
The General Assembly strongly condemns
South Africa for its continued exploitation and plun-
dering of the natural resources of Namibia in com-
plete disregard of the legitimate interests of the
Namibian people. The exploitation and plundering
of those resources by South African and other foreign
economic interests, in violation of the relevant reso-
lutions of the Assembly and the Security Council and
of Decree No. 1 for the Protection of the Natural
Resources of Namibia enacted by the United Nations
Council for Namibia on 27 September 1974,7 is
illegal and contributes to the maintenance of the
illegal occupation regime.
14.
The General Assembly expresses its full sup-
port for the armed liberation struggle of the Nami-
bian people under the leadership of the South West
Africa People's Organization, its sole and authentic
representative. It expresses its conviction that the
intensified armed liberation struggle by the Namibian
people continues to be a decisive factor in the efforts
to achieve self-determination, freedom and national
independence in a united Namibia.
15.
The General Assembly commends the valiant
people of Namibia, under the leadership of the South
West Africa People's Organization, for having in-
tensified the armed struggle for the liberation of their
country from the illegal occupation of South Africa.
16.
The General Assembly supports the political
and diplomatic efforts of the South West Africa Peo-
ple's Organization to secure genuine independence
for Namibia, in accordance with all relevant resolu-
tions of the Assembly and the Security Council, and
commends that organization for its willingness to
enter into negotiations for the achievement of genu-
ine independence for Namibia, in conformity with
Council resolution 385 (1976) in its entirety.
17.
The General Assembly notes that the South
West Africa People's Organization has made far-
reaching and substantive concessions to facilitate a
negotiated settlement. On the other hand, South
Africa, by its continued intransigence and inflexi-
bility, has refused to demonstrate any good faith or
willingness to enter seriously into meaningful nego-
tiations for its withdrawal from Namibia.
18.
The General Assembly rejects the idea that
South Africa, as the illegal occupier of Namibia,
has any legitimate interest in Namibia about which
the South West Africa People's Organization should
be pressed to make concessions in any negotiated and
internationally acceptable settlement. South Africa
has no right whatsoever to remain in Namibia or
to procrastinate and prevaricate in any negotiating
process on the question of genuine independence for
Namibia.
19.
The General Assembly declares that, unless
effective political, economic and diplomatic pressures
are demonstrably brought to bear on South Africa,
no negotiation will succeed. Moreover, any genuine
attempt to resolve the problem of Namibia by nego-
tiation must not undermine the position of the South
West Africa People's Organization or diminish the
role of the United Nations or the United Nations
Council for Namibia as the legal Administering Au-
thority for the Territory until its independence. It
is imperative that any negotiated settlement be ar-
rived at with the agreement of the South West Africa
People's Organization and within the framework of
the resolutions of the United Nations.
20.
The General Assembly strongly condemns
the intensified preparation by South Africa to impose
in Namibia a so-called "internal settlement", designed
to give a semblance of power to a puppet regime
7 Official Records of the General Assembly, Twenty-ninth
Session, Supplement No. 24A (A/9624/ Add.I), para. 84. The
Decree has been issued in final form in Namibia Gazette No. 1.
III.
Resolution adopted on the report of the Ad Hoe Committee of the Ninth Special Session
5
and a cover of legality to the racist occupation, to
foster civil war and to propagate the fiction that the
struggle of the Namibian people for the liberation
of the Territory would be aggression perpetrated
from the outside.
21.
The General Assembly, in this regard, ex-
presses grave concern that South Africa is continuing
to promote its puppets and quislings of the Turn-
halle tribal gathering as an alternative to the South
West Africa People's Organization, which is fighting
for the genuine national and social liberation of
Namibia as a united political entity.
22.
The General Assembly approves the ac-
tivities of the United Nations Council for Namibia
and the policies and programmes defined by the
Council in co-operation with the South West Africa
People's Organization for the implementation of
the mandate which has been entrusted to the Council
to promote the cause of self-determination and in-
dependence of the Namibian people.
23.
The General Assembly declares that it will
continue to carry out its responsibilities in regard to
the Territory until genuine independence has been
attained. These responsibilities will be discharged
through the United Nations Council for Namibia,
in its capacity as the legal Administering Authority
for Namibia, until the Council informs the Assembly
that genuine independence has been attained. In this
regard, the Council must be associated with any
solution in which the United Nations is involved.
24.
The General Assembly declares that mem-
bership of the United Nations Council for Namibia
in the specialized agencies and other organizations
and bodies within the United Nations system, in
conformity with the recommendations of the Assem-
bly, is an indispensable element in the fulfilment of
the responsibilities of the international community
towards the people of Namibia, represented by the
South West Africa People's Organization, their sole
and authentic liberation movement. The Council's
membership in the Food and Agriculture Organiza-
tion of the United Nations is a significant step in
achieving this objective. Further and more vigorous
initiatives must be taken, however, in order to meet
fully the responsibility of the United Nations towards
Namibia.
25.
The General Assembly reaffirms its determi-
nation to continue its efforts towards increased assist-
ance to Namibians in the context of the Nationhood
Programme for Namibia, the Institute for Namibia
at Lusaka, the United Nations Fund for Namibia and
all other projects and programmes designed to pre-
pare the Namibian people in the skills needed to
build a prosperous and independent Namibia.
26.
The General Assembly expresses its satisfac-
tion with the effective work being accomplished by
the Institute for Namibia in training Namibian cadres
to administer an independent Namibia and in con-
ducting research into basic problems relating to the
human and natural resources of Namibia. These ac-
tivities should be further intensified and widened.
27.
The General Assembly endorses the initia-
tives of the United Nations Council for Namibia,
in accordance with its 1978 Lusaka Declaration,8
SA/S-9/2-S/12631, annex. For the printed text of the
Declaration, see Official Records of the General Assembly,
Ninth Special Session, Supplement No. 1 (A/S-9/4), chap. VI.
to implement the Nationhood Programme for Nami-
bia, and notes with appreciation the co-operation of
the specialized agencies and other organizations and
bodies within the United Nations system in the
planning and implementation of the Programme.
28.
The General Assembly decides that, in the
event of the Security Council's inability to adopt
concrete measures to compel South Africa to end
its illegal occupation by withdrawing from Namibia,
it will urgently consider necessary action in accord-
ance with the Charter of the United Nations, cog-
nizant of the fact that this is a unique instance in
which the United Nations has assumed direct respon-
sibility for promoting self-determination, freedom
and national independence for Namibia.
II.
PROGRAMME OF ACTION IN SUPPORT OF SELF-
DETERMINATION AND NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE
FOR NAMIBIA
29.
The General Assembly reiterates its commit-
ment to discharge the solemn obligation it has as-
sumed to assist the Namibian people to achieve
self-determination and independence.
30.
The General Assembly, recognizing the role
and scope of the activities of the United Nations
Council for Namibia in furtherance of the attainment
of self-determination by the people of Namibia, ap-
peals to Member States to extend full support to
those activities.
31.
The General Assembly calls upon those
countries which have not yet done so to recognize
the South West Africa People's Organization as the
sole and authentic representative of the Namibian
people.
32.
The General Assembly appeals to all Mem-
ber States to render increased and sustained support
and assistance to the South West Africa People's
Organization to enable it to intensify its struggle
for the liberation of Namibia.
33.
The General Assembly calls upon Member
States and the international community as a whole
to reject unequivocally all manreuvres engineered to
deprive the Namibian people of their legitimate right
to achieve genuine national independence in a united
Namibia and to undermine and destroy the achieve-
ments of the liberation struggle of the South West
Africa People's Organization.
34.
The General Assembly calls upon the Gov-
ernments of Member States and governmental and
non-governmental organizations to give all possible
assistance to the Nationhood Programme for Nami-
bia and the Institute for Namibia and to increase
contributions to the United Nations Fund for Nami-
bia.
35.
The General Assembly is fully convinced
that, at this decisive stage in the struggle of the
Namibian people, the international community must
take definitive action to ensure the complete and
unconditional withdrawal of South Africa from
Namibia and thus eliminate the dangerous threat
to international peace and security created by South
Africa. To this end, it strongly urges the Security
Council to take the most vigorous measures, includ-
ing sanctions provided for under Chapter VII of the
Charter of the United Nations, particularly com-
prehensive economic sanctions, an oil embargo and
an arms embargo.
6
General Assembly-Ninth Special Session
36.
The General Assembly calls upon the inter-
national community, especially all Member States,
to refrain from extending any recognition to, or
co-operation with, any regime which the illegal
South African administration may impose upon the
Namibian people in disregard of the provisions of
Security Council resolution 385 (1976).
37.
The General Assembly urges all States to
do their utmost to compel South Africa to renounce
its spurious claims to Walvis Bay, to respect the
territorial integrity of Namibia and to withdraw im-
mediately from the entire Namibian Territory.
38.
The General Assembly urges all States to
cease and desist from any form of direct or indirect
military consultation, co-operation or collaboration
with South Africa.
39.
The General Assembly urges all States to
refrain from any collaboration with South Africa
in the nuclear field, including the production and
development of nuclear weapons.
40.
The General Assembly requests the Security
Council to take appropriate, effective and urgent
steps to prevent South Africa from acquiring or
developing nuclear weapons and from exploding
nuclear devices, and to ensure the dismantling of
the nuclear-test installations in the Kalahari Desert,
all of whieh endanger international peace and secu-
rity.
41.
The General Assembly calls upon all States
to take effective measures to prevent the recruitment
of mercenaries for service in Namibia or South
Africa.
42.
The General Assembly urges once again all
States to take steps to ensure the termination of all
arms-licensing agreements with South Africa and to
prohibit the transfer to it of all information relating
to arms and armaments.
43.
The General Assembly urges once again all
Member States to take all appropriate measures to
ensure the full application of, and compliance with,
the provisions of Decree No. 1 for the Protection of
the Natural Resources of Namibia.
44.
The General Assembly calls upon States to
compel transnational corporations under their juris-
diction to comply with all pertinent resolutions of
the United Nations by immediately abstaining from
making any investment in Namibia, by withdrawing
current investments from the Territory and by ter-
minating their co-operation with the illegal South
African administration in Namibia.
45.
The General Assembly calls upon the Inter-
national Atomic Energy Agency and appeals to the
members of the General Agreement on Tariffs and
Trade to apply, within their respective spheres of
competence, the resolutions of the Assembly and
the Security Council on Namibia and to ensure that
South Africa does not represent Namibia in those
organizations and thereby benefit from its participa-
tion in them.
15th plenary meeting
3 May 1978
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