Reference table
Timeline of General Assembly responses to key events since 1947
| Year(s) | Key event | GA response |
|---|---|---|
| 1940s | ||
| 1947 | Guerrilla fighters in Greece | Mandated a political mission (UNSCOB) to mediate between parties. |
| 1950s | ||
| 1951 | Fighting on the Korean Peninsula | Characterized Chinese intervention as aggression, called for ceasefire, withdrawal of foreign forces; supported UN forces to continue enforcement action; requested sanctions (arms embargo); mandated Repatriation Commission to enable prisoner returns. |
| 1954 | Chinese nationalist forces enter Burma | Supported good offices, and called for disarmament and withdrawal of foreign forces. |
| 1956 | Suez Crisis | Called for ceasefire and withdrawal of foreign forces; mandated UN peacekeeping mission (UNEF). |
| 1956 | Soviet intervention in Hungary | Condemned intervention as contrary to the UN Charter; called for cessation of attacks and withdrawal of foreign forces; later supported special investigatory committee. |
| 1958 | Infiltration of arms and foreign forces in Lebanon | Called for and facilitated withdrawal of foreign forces through expanding tasks of SC-created peace operation (UNOGIL); supported good offices. |
| 1960s | ||
| 1960 | The Congo crisis | Called on MS to refrain from military support to conflict parties; supported good offices; helped sustain and extend mandate of SC-created peace operation (ONUC). |
| 1962 | Naval clash highlights tension over West New Guinea | Supported good offices contributing to Netherlands-Indonesia treaty; mandated UN administrative body to oversee territory in transition (UNTEA / UNSF). |
| 1963 | Rights violations in South Vietnam | Called for and supported FFM to investigate reported persecution of Buddhists. |
| 1967 | Six-Day War | Emphasized obligations under the Geneva Convention, recommended humanitarian support; created an investigatory body (Special Committee) (1968). |
| 1961–1973 | Self-determination and violations within Portuguese territories | Determined territories to be non-self-governing in 1960; from 1961–1973 recommended range of sanctions on Portugal, military assistance to independence movements; (in 1973) mandated COI on violations in Mozambique; supported good offices. |
| 1970s | ||
| 1969–1987 | South African activities in Namibia and southern Africa | Condemned “illegal occupation”, militarization in Namibia and attacks in southern Africa; called for self-determination for Namibia and military assistance to armed liberation movement; requested mandatory sanctions on South Africa, and for the SC to take enforcement action; referred several matters to the ICJ. |
| 1969–1987 | Apartheid in South Africa | Denounced South Africa’s racial policies; recommended mandatory, comprehensive and multi-track sanctions by the SC, Member States and other private companies and institutions. |
| 1971 | India-Pakistan hostilities | Called for cessation of hostilities, urged cooperation on refugees and called on the SC to take appropriate action. |
| 1974 | Turkish intervention in Cyprus | Called for withdrawal of foreign forces and cessation of foreign intervention in affairs of Cyprus; supported good offices and humanitarian efforts. |
| 1978 | Vietnamese invasion of Kampuchea | (In 1979) Called for withdrawal of foreign forces, and for Member States to refrain from threats or acts of aggression and interference; supported good offices. |
| 1979 | Soviet intervention in Afghanistan | (In 1980) Deplored the armed intervention and called for withdrawal of foreign forces, Member State support for humanitarian aid, and for SC action. |
| 1980s | ||
| 1981 | Israel attack on Iraqi nuclear installation | Condemned the attack; recommended sanctioning measures (including limits on arms); and SC enforcement. |
| 1981 | Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights | Declared the annexation to be aggression and demanded that it be rescinded. |
| 1982 | Israeli hostilities in Lebanon | Called for a ceasefire and withdrawal of Israeli forces; called for accountability mechanisms and investigations into civilian harm. |
| 1983 | US-led intervention in Grenada | Deplored the intervention as violation of international law, called for its cessation and withdrawal of foreign forces. |
| 1986 | US attacks on Libyan Arab Jamahiriya | Condemned the attack, called on the US to refrain from use of force; and critiqued unilateral sanctions on Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. |
| 1989 | US attacks in Panama | Deplored invasion as a violation of international law, demanded its cessation, and withdrawal of US forces. |
| 1990s | ||
| 1991 | Military coup in Haiti | Condemned the coup; supported good offices and SC and regional action (including sanctions) to restore democratic Government; created peace operations (in 1993, 1999) to monitor human rights. |
| 1992 | Moves toward Eritrean independence | Created peace operation to oversee referendum (UNOVER); supported good offices. |
| 1992–1995 | Conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B.H.) | Condemned the aggression, and IHL and human rights violations; urged support for accountability mechanisms and for Member States to support defense of B.H. defense, and SC sanctions. |
| 1993–1996 | Internal conflict in Afghanistan | Created a special political mission, (UNSMA), enabling good offices and humanitarian efforts. |
| 1994 | Peace talks in Guatemala | Created a special political mission (MINUGUA), enabling mediation and agreement on permanent ceasefire. |
| 1996–2001 | Taliban takeover in Afghanistan | From 1996 to 1999, calls for cessation of hostilities, for Member States not to support parties to the conflict; expanded mandate of GA-created peace operation; created investigatory team. |
| 2000s | ||
| 2002–2004 | Israel building a separation wall in OPT | Denounced wall and demanded that Israel stop construction; condemned legal violations and called for an end to military incursions and violence in the OPT; requested an ICJ advisory opinion on the wall (2003); created Register of Damage (2004). |
| 2008 | Kosovo declares independence | Requested ICJ advisory opinion on the status of Kosovo; supported good offices and diplomatic engagement. |
| 2008 | Israels operations in the Gaza strip | (In 2009) Condemned the operations, called for ceasefire and withdrawal of Israeli forces; humanitarian support for Palestinians. |
| 2010s to present | ||
| 2011 | Arab Spring uprising in Libya | Suspended the membership of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from the Human Rights Council, following threats and attacks on civilians. |
| 2014 | Russian Federation annexation of Crimea | Reinforced Charter and international law obligations to refrain from threat or use of force and with respect to territorial integrity; declared referendum illegal. |
| 2014 | Islamic State active in Syria and Iraq | (In 2016) Condemned the violence, urged cultural preservation and supported SC imposition of sanctions. |
| 2016 | Conflict in Syria escalates | Called attention to legal violations (including chemical weapons use), human rights violations and humanitarian suffering; in 2016 suggested the SC take accountability measures (referencing the ICC), mandated investigatory body (IIIM). |
| 2018 | Russian intervention in Moldova | Expressed concern and urges withdrawal of Russian forces from Moldova; supported good offices. |
| 2021 | Myanmar “state of emergency” declared | Called upon the Myanmar military to respect democratic processes; denounced rights violations; called for MS-imposed arms embargo. |
| 2022 (continuing) | Russian Federation aggression in Ukraine | Characterized invasion as aggression and violation of the UN Charter; demanded withdrawal of foreign forces and halt to attacks; called for accountability mechanisms. |
| 2023 (continuing) | Hamas attack and kidnappings; Israeli military operations in Gaza | Called for a humanitarian truce or ceasefire, release of hostages, protection of civilians and compliance with international humanitarian law, for secure humanitarian access, and granted participation rights to State of Palestine. |