South Africa and Apartheid (1962–1993)

Economic sanctions, including those urged by the GA, exerted substantial pressure on the South African Government and played a pivotal role in the eventual dismantling of apartheid. On 6 November 1962, the GA passed resolution 1761(XVII) (by a vote of 67-16-23) deploring the South African Government’s failure to comply with past GA and SC resolutions with regard to its racial policies, which it identified as violating the UN Charter (A/RES/1761(XVII), paras. 2–3). It further regretted that some Member States continued to “provide encouragement” to South Africa, despite the perpetuation of racial segregation in the country, and called for sanctioning measures (ibid.). Specifically, the GA requested Member States to separately or collectively break off diplomatic relations, close their ports to South African vessels and prohibit their flagged vessels from travelling to South Africa, refuse landing to South African aircraft, boycott South African goods and refrain from exporting goods “including arms and ammunition” to South Africa (ibid., para. 4). The same resolution also created a function that could be considered a precedent for present-day sanctions committees or panels of experts – it established a “Special Committee consisting of representatives of Member States” to monitor the subject of these proposed sanctions (South Africa’s “racial policies”) and report to either the GA or the SC as appropriate (ibid., para. 5). Finally, resolution 1761 (XVII) requested the SC to “take appropriate measures, including sanctions, to secure South Africa’s compliance” with GA and SC resolutions on the subject and “if necessary, to consider action under Article 6 of the UN Charter” (ibid., para. 8).

In August 1963, the SC responded to this call by passing resolution 181 (by a vote of 9-0-2) (S/RES/181). Explicitly noting that “world public opinion has been reflected in General Assembly resolution 1761 (XVII)”, the resolution called upon all States to “cease forthwith the sale and shipment of arms, ammunition of all types and military vehicles to South Africa” (ibid., para. 3). These sanctions were not made mandatory until 1977, when the SC, acting under its Chapter VII authority, decided that all States should cease providing any arms, materiel, weapons, ammunition, military vehicles or other related equipment and manufacturing licenses to South Africa (S/RES/418, para. 2).

Throughout this period, the GA not only continued to encourage Member State sanctions against South Africa over its apartheid policies, but also ultimately voted to restrict South Africa’s participation in the GA as a form of censure for its policies (A/PV.1407).¹ This illustrates a larger trend, with recommendations regarding censure of South Africa extending beyond economic measures and involving recommendations that would have the effect of isolating South Africa diplomatically and culturally. It is important to illustrate the breadth of these recommendations, in order to highlight the driving role of the GA on this issue. Between 1969 and 1985, the GA adopted 16 robust resolutions recommending ways to broaden and intensify sanctions.² These continued and increased even after the SC imposed mandatory sanctions from 1977 onwards (as noted above). The 16 resolutions included some of the following recommended measures:

Global sports and cultural events:

• Resolution 2396 (XXIII) in 1969 recommended that “all States and organizations to suspend cultural, educational, sporting and other exchanges with the racist régime and with organizations or institutions in South Africa which practice apartheid” (A/RES/2396(XXIII), para. 12).
• Resolution 2775 (XXVI) of 1971 invoked the Olympic principles of non-discrimination to emphasize the importance of denying recognition to sports activities that practiced racial discrimination (A/RES/2775(XXVI), para. (D)1).
• Resolution 2923 (XXVII) of 1972 called for a worldwide campaign to boycott South African sports and cultural activities (A/RES/2923(XXVII), para. (E)16).
• Resolution 3151 (XXVIII) of 1973 called all Member States that had not yet done so, to “end all cultural, educational and civic contacts and exchanges with racist institutions in South Africa” and to “deny any assistance or recognition to exchanges with racist sports teams from South Africa” (A/RES/3151(XXVIII), para. (G)10).
• Resolution 3411 (XXX) of 1975 called upon all governments, sports bodies and organizations to refrain from engagement with “racially selected sports teams” from South Africa (A/RES/3411(XXX), para. (E)3).
• Resolution 35/206 of 1980 also called for the ceasing of “any cultural and academic collaboration with South Africa, including the exchange of scientists, students and academic personalities, as well as cooperation in research programmes”, appealed to “writers, artists, musicians and other personalities to boycott South Africa” and requested States that had not yet done so to “terminate visa-free entry privileges to South African nationals” (A/RES/35/206, para. (E)2).
• Resolution 40/64 of 1985 reiterated the call for Member States, “pending action by the Security Council”, to adopt legislative measures to ensure, among others, the “observance of sports, cultural, academic, consumer, tourism and other boycotts of South Africa” (A/RES/40/64, para. (A)9).

Urging trade unions to act collectively against apartheid:

• Resolution 2775 (XXVI) of 1971 appealed to “all national and international trade union organizations to intensify their action against apartheid”, inter alia by “discouraging the emigration of skilled workers to South Africa” and “exerting maximum pressure on foreign economic and financial interests which are profiting from racial discrimination” in an effort to persuade them to cease such exploitation (A/RES/2775(XXVI), para. (H)1).
• Resolution 2923 (XXVII) of 1972 invited Member States and organizations to pursue efforts to discourage “emigration to South Africa, especially of skilled workers” (A/RES/2923(XXVII), para. (E)16).
• Resolution 36/172 of 1981 encouraged collaboration between the Special Committee on Apartheid and trade unions to “promote effective sanctions against South Africa” (A/RES/36/172, para. (D)12).

Advocating for SC mandatory sanctions, and after 1977 (when these were instituted) for them to be more comprehensive:

• Resolution 2396 (XXIII) in 1969 drew the attention of the SC to the need for action under Chapter VII to institute comprehensive mandatory sanctions (A/RES/2396(XXIII), para. 4).
• Resolution 3151 (XXVIII) of 1973 called on the SC to adopt Chapter VII measures to enforce an arms embargo, halt military collaboration and sever economic ties with South Africa (A/RES/3151(XXVIII), para. (G)6).
• Resolutions 3324 (XXIX) of 1974 (A/RES/3324(XXIX) and 3411 (XXX) of 1975 (A/RES/3411(XXX)) demanded measures to ensure stricter adherence to the arms embargo, cessation of military and technological cooperation, and a comprehensive halt to all forms of economic and cultural engagement.
• Resolution 32/105 of 1977 called for an expansion of the mandatory sanctions regime, including a comprehensive arms embargo (A/RES/32/105, paras. (F)3;(G)1).
• Resolution 33/183 of 1979 emphasized the need for an oil embargo and legislation against petroleum supplies to South Africa (A/RES/33/183, para. (E)3)).
• Resolution 34/93 of 1979 further expanded these measures to include severing all diplomatic, military, nuclear and economic relations with South Africa (A/RES/34/93, paras. A(12–14)).
• Resolution 40/64 of 1984 called for universal application of sanctions, banning military and nuclear cooperation and enforcing the oil embargo (A/RES/40/64).
• Multiple resolutions between 1974 and 1985 stressed the need for more rigorous enforcement of existing sanctions. They also condemned the continuing collaboration with the apartheid regime, prominent among certain Member States (including France, the UK, Israel, and the US), urging here too SC action under Chapter VII to ensure the complete cessation of such collaboration.³

Beyond introducing resolutions, the GA supported bodies and initiatives that were designed to enhance the impact of these sanctions and further increase pressure on the South African regime. In 1971, the GA adopted (by a vote of 91-4-25) and opened for signature and ratification the International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid (A/RES/3068(XXVIII)).⁴ Throughout most of the above 15 resolutions, sanctions enforcement was emphasized as a central component, carried forward in the Special Committee Against Apartheid’s mandate. The Committee was responsible for overseeing and promoting measures against the apartheid regime, including the implementation of sanctions. This mandate was detailed in a report published in 1981 that outlined efforts and recommendations regarding sanctions enforcement (A/36/22, paras. 287–357). On 10 December 1985, the GA adopted resolution 40/64, in which it decided to organize the World Conference on Sanctions Against South Africa in 1986, in cooperation with the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries. This conference further underscored the global consensus for sanctions enforcement against apartheid and provided a platform for coordinating and strengthening international efforts to isolate the apartheid regime through concerted sanctions (A/RES/40/64 (C), paras. 14–16).

A significant turning point came on 14 December 1989, when the GA unanimously adopted the Declaration on Apartheid and its Destructive Consequences in Southern Africa, which called for negotiations to end apartheid and establish a non-racial democracy (A/RES/S-16/1, paras. 2, 3). Finally, on 8 October 1993, the GA’s resolution 48/1 urged States to restore economic relations with South Africa immediately and terminate the oil embargo upon the operationalization of the Transitional Executive Council, marking a crucial step towards South Africa’s transition to democracy (A/RES/48/1, paras. 1, 2).