United Nations Security Council Resolution 554

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"....

554, adopted on August 17, 1984, after recalling 473

United Nations Security Council Resolution 473

United Nations Security Council Resolution 473, adopted unanimously on June 13, 1980, after recalling resolutions 392 , 417 , 418 , 454 and 466 and letters from the Committee for South Africa, the Council expressed its concern and condemned South Africa for the killing of protesters, including...

(1980), the Council condemned the 1984 general election

South African general election, 1984

The 1984 South African general election held in August of that year, it saw a number of Coloured and Indian parties participating in an election for the houses of Parliament created for their respective racial groups, although a majority of people in both of these groups opposed the Tricameral...

in 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...

and the adoption of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act (110 of 1983)

Tricameral Parliament

The Tricameral Parliament was the name given to the South African parliament and its structure from 1984 to 1994, established by the South African Constitution of 1983...

.

The Council stated that the constitution was against the United Nations Charter

United Nations Charter

The Charter of the United Nations is the foundational treaty of the international organization called the United Nations. It was signed at the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center in San Francisco, United States, on 26 June 1945, by 50 of the 51 original member countries...

and declared the elections and constitution both null and void

Void (law)

In law, void means of no legal effect. An action, document or transaction which is void is of no legal effect whatsoever: an absolute nullity - the law treats it as if it had never existed or happened....

as it would further entrench minority rule in the country. The resolution also urged Member States and international organisations not to accord recognition to the elections, stating that the total eradication of apartheid and the establishment of democracy in South Africa would lead to a just and lasting solution to the "explosive situation" in the country.

The resolution, which required the Secretary-General to monitor its implementation, was approved by 13 votes to none against, while 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...

and United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

abstained

Abstention

Abstention is a term in election procedure for when a participant in a vote either does not go to vote or, in parliamentary procedure, is present during the vote, but does not cast a ballot. Abstention must be contrasted with "blank vote", in which a voter casts a ballot willfully made invalid by...

from voting.

See also