20th century – 20th century
South West Africa / Namibia
An international campaign challenging South Africa’s administration of South West Africa through the United Nations, the International Court of Justice, and African diplomacy. UN committees sought access and considered schemes for trusteeship or partition, while Ethiopia and Liberia brought a case against South Africa before the ICJ in 1960. The court rejected their standing in 1966, prompting the UN General Assembly to terminate the mandate and establish a United Nations council for South West Africa. South African occupation prevented that body from exercising authority.
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The Story
International opposition to South Africa’s administration of South West Africa gathered around the United Nations. A Permanent Committee on South West Africa operated from 1954 to 1961, while a “Good Offices Committee” created in 1957 under the leadership of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Brazil attempted to negotiate with South Africa. One proposal considered dividing the territory, incorporating the south and its white-owned farmland into South Africa while placing northern areas under South African administration through United Nations trusteeship.
The Committee on South West Africa planned a mission to Namibia in 1960 to prepare for eventual “complete independence”, but South Africa denied entry to the mission, as did the British government in Botswana. A UN mission was eventually permitted in 1962 under Vittorio Carpio and Martinez de Alva, but its credibility declined after a statement issued jointly with the South African government, which Carpio did not agree to.
Ethiopia and Liberia, former members of the League of Nations, brought a case against South Africa before the International Court of Justice in 1960. They sought a ruling that South Africa’s occupation of Namibia was illegal. In July 1966, the ICJ controversially held that they lacked the right to bring the case, relying on the casting vote of the judge president.
The UN General Assembly rejected the outcome, adopted Resolution 2145 in 1966 to end the mandate, and later obtained Security Council endorsement in 1969. It also created the United Nations Council for South West Africa, later the United Nations Council for Namibia, with legal responsibility for administering Namibia until independence. In practice, South African occupation prevented it from fulfilling that role.
20th century – 20th century
South West Africa / Namibia
An international campaign challenging South Africa’s administration of South West Africa through the United Nations, the International Court of Justice, and African diplomacy. UN committees sought access and considered schemes for trusteeship or partition, while Ethiopia and Liberia brought a case against South Africa before the ICJ in 1960. The court rejected their standing in 1966, prompting the UN General Assembly to terminate the mandate and establish a United Nations council for South West Africa. South African occupation prevented that body from exercising authority.
Continue exploring
The Story
International opposition to South Africa’s administration of South West Africa gathered around the United Nations. A Permanent Committee on South West Africa operated from 1954 to 1961, while a “Good Offices Committee” created in 1957 under the leadership of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Brazil attempted to negotiate with South Africa. One proposal considered dividing the territory, incorporating the south and its white-owned farmland into South Africa while placing northern areas under South African administration through United Nations trusteeship.
The Committee on South West Africa planned a mission to Namibia in 1960 to prepare for eventual “complete independence”, but South Africa denied entry to the mission, as did the British government in Botswana. A UN mission was eventually permitted in 1962 under Vittorio Carpio and Martinez de Alva, but its credibility declined after a statement issued jointly with the South African government, which Carpio did not agree to.
Ethiopia and Liberia, former members of the League of Nations, brought a case against South Africa before the International Court of Justice in 1960. They sought a ruling that South Africa’s occupation of Namibia was illegal. In July 1966, the ICJ controversially held that they lacked the right to bring the case, relying on the casting vote of the judge president.
The UN General Assembly rejected the outcome, adopted Resolution 2145 in 1966 to end the mandate, and later obtained Security Council endorsement in 1969. It also created the United Nations Council for South West Africa, later the United Nations Council for Namibia, with legal responsibility for administering Namibia until independence. In practice, South African occupation prevented it from fulfilling that role.
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