U.N. OKs Funds for Namibia Force
The General Assembly on Wednesday approved $416 million for the U.N. peacekeeping mission to help free Namibia from 74 years of South African rule.
On April 1, the United Nations is to begin implementing a one-year plan to create the world’s newest independent nation, thus settling the last major colonial problem in Africa.
South Africa has run Namibia, or South-West Africa, since World War I, when it captured the former German colony. In December, Pretoria finally agreed to the plan to make the territory a sovereign state.
The General Assembly was able to clear the last hurdle to implementing the plan after its budget subcommittee, overriding objections from several African nations, decided Tuesday night that U.N. peacekeepers in Namibia may buy goods from South Africa as long as it remains the cheapest supplier.
Countries led by Zambia and Zimbabwe had delayed approval of the assessment by trying to enforce U.N. calls for embargoes on South African products.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
