United Nations Security Council Resolution 428

United Nations
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
United Nations Security Council Resolution
A United Nations Security Council resolution is a UN resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council; the UN body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security"....

428, adopted unanimously on May 6, 1978, after hearing representations from the People's Republic of Angola

People's Republic of Angola

The People's Republic of Angola was a self-declared socialist state that was established in 1975 after it was granted independence from Portugal, akin to the situation in Mozambique. The newly-founded nation enjoyed friendly relations with the Soviet Union, Cuba, and the People's Republic of...

, Zambia

Zambia

Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....

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

United Nations Security Council Resolution 387

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...

(1976), the present resolution condemned 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...

for its armed invasion

Operation Reindeer

Operation Reindeer, which took place on 4 May 1978, was South Africa's second major military operation in Angola, the first being Operation Savannah....

of Angola via 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...

).

Resolution 428 went on to condemn the suppression of the Namibian people by South Africa, as well as apartheid. The Council reaffirmed that the liberation of the Namibian people would be a prerequisite for the attainment of peace and security in southern Africa. The resolution also commended the People's Republic of Angola for its support of the Namibian people.

Finally, the Council made provisions that, should Angola be attacked again, it would not hesitate to adopt further measures against South Africa, in accordance with Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter

Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter

Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter sets out the UN Security Council's powers to maintain peace. It allows the Council to "determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression" and to take military and nonmilitary action to "restore international peace...

See also