United Nations Security Council Resolution 418
Encyclopedia
United Nations Security Council Resolution 418, adopted unanimously on 4 November 1977, imposed a mandatory arms embargo
against apartheid South Africa
. This resolution differed from the earlier Resolution 282
, which was only voluntary. The embargo was subsequently tightened and extended by Resolution 591
.
The embargo was lifted by Resolution 919
following democratic elections in 1994
.
being passed in 1986, which tightened up some of the loopholes and extended the embargo.
.
i specialists who had worked on the Lavi
fighter aircraft
were recruited by Atlas Aircraft Corporation
to work on the Atlas Cheetah
and Atlas CAVA.
, the R4 assault rifle
and Atlantis Diesel Engines
.
.
Arms embargo
An arms embargo is an embargo that applies to weaponry. It may also include "dual use" items. An arms embargo may serve one or more purposes:# to signal disapproval of behavior by a certain actor,# to maintain neutral standing in an ongoing conflict, or...
against apartheid 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...
. This resolution differed from the earlier Resolution 282
United Nations Security Council Resolution 282
United Nations Security Council Resolution 282, adopted on July 23, 1970, concerned by violations of the arms embargo passed against South Africa in resolution 191, the Council reiterated its total opposition to the policies of apartheid and reaffirmed its previous resolutions on the topic...
, which was only voluntary. The embargo was subsequently tightened and extended by Resolution 591
United Nations Security Council Resolution 591
United Nations Security Council Resolution 591, adopted unanimously on November 28, 1986, after recalling resolutions 418 , 421 , 473 and 558 , the Council strengthened the mandatory arms embargo against apartheid South Africa imposed by Resolution 418, and made it more comprehensive...
.
Impact
The ban had a direct impact in some of the following ways:- Last minute cancellation of the sale of corvetteD'Estienne d'Orves classThe A69 type Avisos are small warships mainly designed for coastal anti-submarine defence, but are also available for high sea escort missions . Built on a simple and robust design, they have an economical and reliable propulsion system which allows them to be used for overseas presence missions...
s and Agosta submarinesAgosta 90B class submarineThe Agosta class submarines are French diesel attack submarines used by Spain, Pakistan and formerly by France. The French Navy grouped this model of submarine in their most capable class as an océanique, meaning "ocean-going." A modernised version built for Pakistan, the Agosta 90B, has a crew of...
by FranceFranceThe 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...
. - The purchase of Strike CraftSaar 4 class missile boatThe Saar 4 or Reshef class missile boats were built at the Israel Shipyards and based on Israeli Navy designs grounded in accumulated experience derived in the operation of "Cherbourg" class....
from IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, some of which had to be built covertly in South Africa instead. - South AfricaSouth AfricaThe 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...
's inability to purchase modern fighter aircraftFighter aircraftA fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
to counter the air superiority of CubaCubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n Mig 23Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 is a variable-geometry fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union. It is considered to belong to the Soviet third generation jet fighter category, along with similarly aged Soviet fighters such as the MiG-25 "Foxbat"...
s over the SAAF in the South African Border WarSouth African Border WarThe South African Border War, commonly referred to as the Angolan Bush War in South Africa, was a conflict that took place from 1966 to 1989 in South-West Africa and Angola between South Africa and its allied forces on the one side and the Angolan government, South-West Africa People's...
. - The growth of the modern day multi-billion dollar South African arms industryArms industryThe arms industry is a global industry and business which manufactures and sells weapons and military technology and equipment. It comprises government and commercial industry involved in research, development, production, and service of military material, equipment and facilities...
. - The end of shipments by the United States of enriched uraniumUraniumUranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
fuel for South Africa's Safari research nuclear reactorNuclear reactorA nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Most commonly they are used for generating electricity and for the propulsion of ships. Usually heat from nuclear fission is passed to a working fluid , which runs through turbines that power either ship's...
.
The embargo was lifted by Resolution 919
United Nations Security Council Resolution 919
United Nations Security Council Resolution 919, adopted unanimously on May 25, 1994, after recalling all resolutions on South Africa, in particular resolutions 282 , 418 , 421 , 558 and 591 , the Council welcomed the recent general elections and new government and decided, under Chapter VII of the...
following democratic elections in 1994
South African general election, 1994
The South African general election of 1994 was an election held in South Africa to mark the end of apartheid, therefore also the first held with universal adult suffrage. The election was conducted under the direction of the Independent Electoral Commission .Millions queued in lines over a three...
.
Circumvention of the embargo
The apartheid government worked around the embargo in a number of ways to source military technology and components that it was unable to procure openly. This resulted in United Nations Security Council Resolution 591United Nations Security Council Resolution 591
United Nations Security Council Resolution 591, adopted unanimously on November 28, 1986, after recalling resolutions 418 , 421 , 473 and 558 , the Council strengthened the mandatory arms embargo against apartheid South Africa imposed by Resolution 418, and made it more comprehensive...
being passed in 1986, which tightened up some of the loopholes and extended the embargo.
Local production
Many armaments were wholly designed and manufactured in South Africa, as reflected by the growth and export business of ArmscorArmscor
Armscor refers to either:*Armscor , the South African arms acquisition and sales agency*Armscor , the Philippines-based manufacturer of weapons...
.
Smuggling
Notable operations that came to light were:- The 1984 case of the Coventry FourCoventry FourFour South African alleged arms smugglers were arrested by HM Customs & Excise officers in Coventry in March 1984 and charged with conspiring to export arms from Britain to apartheid South Africa in contravention of the mandatory UN arms embargo...
. Four South African businessmen in the UK were found to be operating a front company on the behalf of Kentron that was sourcing materielMaterielMateriel is a term used in English to refer to the equipment and supplies in military and commercial supply chain management....
in defiance of the ban. - The arrest and imprisonment of Gerald BullGerald BullGerald Vincent Bull was a Canadian engineer who developed long-range artillery. He moved from project to project in his quest to launch economically a satellite using a huge artillery piece, to which end he designed the Project Babylon "supergun" for the Iraqi government...
for developing the G5 howitzerG5 howitzerThe G5 is a South African towed howitzer of 155 mm calibre designed with the help of the Canadian scientist Gerald Bull and his company, Space Research Corporation and manufactured by Denel Land Systems.-Production history:...
for ArmscorArmscorArmscor refers to either:*Armscor , the South African arms acquisition and sales agency*Armscor , the Philippines-based manufacturer of weapons... - The nuclear weapons programmeSouth Africa and weapons of mass destructionFrom the 1960s to the 1980s, South Africa pursued research into weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. Six nuclear weapons were assembled...
reached its peak during the embargo; According to David AlbrightDavid AlbrightDavid Albright, M.S., is the founder of the non-governmental Institute for Science and International Security , its current president, and author of several books on proliferation of atomic weapons. Albright holds a Master of Science in physics from Indiana University and a M.Sc. in mathematics...
, components for the programme were imported without the knowledge of the international community, or put to ingenious uses that had not been envisaged by the enforcers of the ban.
Dual purpose equipment
Computer and air traffic control radar systems ostensibly destined for civilian use were diverted to the military.Use of foreign specialists
The South African government was able to hire the services of foreign technicians, for example IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i specialists who had worked on the Lavi
IAI Lavi
The IAI Lavi was a combat aircraft developed in Israel in the 1980s. It was a multi-billion dollar fighter aircraft project that was disbanded when the Israeli government concluded it could not finance production on its own, could not achieve a consensus on the Lavi's cost-effectiveness and...
fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
were recruited by Atlas Aircraft Corporation
Atlas Aircraft Corporation
The Atlas Aircraft Corporation of South Africa was established in 1965 to manufacture a number of sophisticated military aircraft and avionics equipment for the South African Air Force, as well as for export...
to work on the Atlas Cheetah
Atlas Cheetah
The Atlas Cheetah is a fighter aircraft currently operated by the Ecuadorian Air Force. It was operated by the South African Air Force between 1986 and 2008. It was first built as a major upgrade of the Dassault Mirage III by the Atlas Aircraft Corporation of South Africa in South Africa and is...
and Atlas CAVA.
Licensed production
In somes cases, foreign armaments were simply produced under license in South Africa, as in the case of the Warrior Class Strike CraftSaar 4 class missile boat
The Saar 4 or Reshef class missile boats were built at the Israel Shipyards and based on Israeli Navy designs grounded in accumulated experience derived in the operation of "Cherbourg" class....
, the R4 assault rifle
R4 assault rifle
The R4 is a 5.56mm assault rifle that was introduced into service with the South African Defence Force in 1982, replacing the earlier 7.62mm FN FAL rifle, that was manufactured in South Africa under a license agreement from Fabrique Nationale as the R1...
and Atlantis Diesel Engines
Atlantis Diesel Engines
Atlantis Diesel Engines was a South African manufacturer of diesel engines and vehicle components, notably for the military. Engine manufacture ended in 1999...
.
Co-operation with other states
South Africa exchanged military technology with other states in a similar position to itself, notably IsraelIsrael-South Africa relations
Israel–South Africa relations refer to the current and historic relationship between the Republic of South Africa and the State of Israel.- Israeli relations with apartheid South Africa :...
.
See also
- Armscor (South Africa)Armscor (South Africa)Armscor , the Armaments Corporation of South Africa is a South African government-supported weapon-producing conglomerate that was officially established in 1968, primarily as a response to the international sanctions by the United Nations against South Africa that began in 1963 and...
- DenelDenelDenel Ltd is a South African state owned aerospace and defence technology conglomerate established in 1991. It was created when the manufacturing subsidiaries of Armscor were split off in order for Armscor to become the procurement agency for South African Defence Force , now known as the South...
- History of South Africa in the Apartheid eraHistory of South Africa in the apartheid eraApartheid was a system of racial segregation enforced by the National Party governments of South Africa between 1948 and 1994, under which the rights of the majority 'non-white' inhabitants of South Africa were curtailed and white supremacy and Afrikaner minority rule was maintained...
- List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 401 to 500 (1976 – 1982)
- United Nations Security Council Resolution 181United Nations Security Council Resolution 181United Nations Security Council Resolution 181, adopted on August 7, 1963, was concerned with an arms build-up by the Republic of South Africa and fears that those arms might be used to further the racial conflict in that country...