Security Council resolution 629 (1989) [on settlement of the Namibia question]
Symbol: S/RES/629(1989)
Date: 1989-01-16
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/44 [6] NAMIBIA QUESTION
Subjects: SWAPO|UN Transition Assistance Group|CEASEFIRES|NAMIBIA|SOUTH AFRICA|ELECTIONS|ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE|FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE|ELECTION VERIFICATION|PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS|NAMIBIA|NAMIBIA QUESTION|DISPUTE SETTLEMENT
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: ALGERIA
vote: yes
country: BRAZIL
vote: yes
country: CANADA
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: COLOMBIA
vote: yes
country: ETHIOPIA
vote: yes
country: FINLAND
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: MALAYSIA
vote: yes
country: NEPAL
vote: yes
country: SENEGAL
vote: yes
country: USSR
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes
country: YUGOSLAVIA
vote: yes

Resolution 629 (1989)
of 16 January 1989

The Security Council,

Reaffirming its relevant resolutions, in resolutions 431 (1978) of 27 July 1978 and 435 (1978) of 29
September 1978,

Taking note of its resolution 628 (1989) of 16 January
1989,

Noting that the parties to the Protocol of Brazzaville 11
agreed to recommend to the Secretary-General that
1 April 1989 be established as the date for the implementation of resolution 435 (1978),

Recognising the progress in the south-western Africa
peace process,

Expressing its concern at the increase in the police and
paramilitary forces and the establishment of the South-est Africa Territorial Force since 1978, and stressing
the need to ensure conditions under which the Namibian people will be able to participate in free and fair
elections under the supervision and control of the
United Nations,

Noting also that these developments make appropriate a re-examination of the requirements for the United
Nations Transition Assistance Group effectively to fulfil its mandate which include, inter alia, keeping borders
under surveillance, preventing infiltration, preventing
intimidation and ensuring the safe return of refugees
and their free participation in the electoral process,

Recalling the approval by the Security Council of the
Secretary-General’s statement on 29 September 1978
to the Council, 12

Emphasizing its determination to ensure the early
independence of Namibia through free and fair elections under the supervision and control of the United
Nations, in accordance with its resolution 435 (1978),

Reaffirming the legal responsibility of the United
Nations over Namibia,

1. Decides that 1 April 1989 shall be the date on
which implementation of resolution 435 (1978) will
begin;

2. Requests the Secretary-General to proceed to
arrange a formal cease-fire between the South West
Africa People’s Organization and South Africa;

3. Calls upon South Africa to reduce immediately
and substantially the existing police forces in Namibia
with a view to achieving reasonable balance between
these forces and the United Nations Transition Assistance Group so as to ensure effective monitoring by the
latter;

4. Reaffirms the responsibility of all concerned to
co-operate to ensure the impartial implementation of
the settlement plan in accordance with resolution
435 (1978);

5. Requests the Secretary-General to prepare at the
earliest possible date a report to the Council on the
implementation of resolution 435 (1978), taking into
account all relevant developments since the adoption of
that resolution;

6. Also requests the Secretary-General, in preparing
his report, to re-examine requirements necessary for
the Group in order to identify wherever possible tangible cost-saving measures without prejudice to his ability
fully to carry out the mandate as established in 1978,
namely, to ensure the early independence of Namibia
through free and fair elections under the supervision
and control of the United Nations;

7. Calls upon Members of the United Nations to
consider, in co-ordination with the Secretary-General,
how they might provide economic and financial assistance to the Namibian people, both during the transitional period and after independence.

Adopted unanimously at the
2842nd meeting.



11 Ibid., document $/20325, annex.
12 Document S/12869; for the text, see Official Records of, the
Security Council, Thirty-third Year, 20871h meeting, paras, 14-22.