United Nations Security Council Resolution 418
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Resolution 181 |
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United Nations Security Council Resolution 418, passed on 4 November 1977, imposed a mandatory arms embargo against apartheid South Africa[1]. This resolution differed from the earlier Resolution 282, which was only voluntary. The embargo was subsequently tightened and extended by Resolution 591.
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[edit] Impact
The ban had a direct impact in some of the following ways:
- Last minute cancellation of the sale of Aviso corvettes and Agosta submarines by France.[2]
- The purchase of Strike Craft from Israel, some of which had to be built covertly in South Africa instead.
- South Africa's inability to purchase modern fighter aircraft to counter the air superiority of Cuban Mig 23's over the SAAF in the South African Border War.[3]
- The growth of the modern day multi-billion dollar South African arms industry.
The embargo was lifted by Resolution 919[4] following democratic elections in 1994.
[edit] Circumvention of the Embargo
The apartheid government worked around the embargo in a number of ways to source military technology and components that it was unable to procure openly. This resulted in United Nations Security Council Resolution 591 being passed in 1986, which tightened up some of the loopholes and extended the embargo.
[edit] Local production
Many armaments were wholly designed and manufactured in South Africa, as reflected by the growth and export business of Armscor.
[edit] Smuggling
Two notable operations that came to light were:
- The 1984 case of the Coventry Four. Four South African businessmen in the UK were found to be operating a front company on the behalf of Kentron that was sourcing materiel in defiance of the ban.
- The arrest and imprisonment of Gerald Bull for developing the G5 howitzer for Armscor
[edit] Dual purpose equipment
Computer and air traffic control radar systems ostensibly destined for civilian use were diverted to the military.[5]
[edit] Use of foreign specialists
The South African government was able to hire the services of foreign technicians, for example Israeli specialists who had worked on the Lavi fighter aircraft were recruited by Atlas Aircraft Corporation to work on the Atlas Cheetah and Atlas CAVA.[5]
[edit] Licensed production
In somes cases, foreign armaments were simply produced under license in South Africa, as in the case of the Warrior Class Strike Craft and the R4 assault rifle.
[edit] Co-operation with other rogue states
South Africa exchanged military technology with other states in a similar position to itself, notably Israel.
[edit] See also
- United Nations Security Council Resolution 181
- History of South Africa in the Apartheid era
- Armscor (South Africa)
- Denel
[edit] References
- ^ Resolution 418. United Nations (November 4, 1977).
- ^ Andre Wessels (20 April 2007). "The South African Navy During The Years of Conflict In Southern Africa, 1966-1989". Sabinet Online Ltd.
- ^ Hilton Hamann (2001). Days of the Generals. South Africa: Zebra, p99. ISBN 1868723402. Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
- ^ Resolution 919. United Nations (May 26, 1994).
- ^ a b Geldenhuys, Deon (1990). Isolated States: A Comparative Analysis. Cambridge University Press.
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