# UNTAG deployment and the Security Council's approval of the force (16 February 1989)

URL: https://allhistories.com/namibia/timeline/1989-untag-deployment-and-the-security-council-s-approval-of-the-force
Location: Windhoek, Namibia
Themes: main-event

Wikipedia says UNTAG's mandate was to create conditions for free and fair elections to a constituent assembly, as set out in Resolution 435 and approved by Resolution 632 on 16 February 1989. Its start date was 1 April 1989. The military component was to monitor the ceasefire, disarm SWAPO fighters, oversee the South African withdrawal and control the borders. The initial deployment was cut from 7,000 to 4,650, with 2,350 held in home countries as reserves. The military force was an infantry brigade of three battalions from Finland, Kenya and Malaysia. Civilian components included about 1,500 civilian police and 990 electoral staff. Martti Ahtisaari was Special Representative and Lieutenant General Dewan Prem Chand of India commanded the military component. The budget fell from US$700 million to $416 million, and the actual cost was under $368.6 million. A UN financial crisis delayed approval until 1 March 1989. Opposition came from the OAU, the Non-Aligned Movement and SWAPO to the reduced size. Nineteen UN personnel died. The mission ran from April 1989 to March 1990. At this point in the timeline (1989), Louis Pienaar (1 Jul 1985 – 21 Mar 1990) was Administrator-General, the South African appointee who governed the territory directly during the international negotiations that led to independence in 1990; Dawid Bezuidenhout (1985 – 1989) was Chairman of the Council of Ministers (TGNU) in an interim administration set up under South African authority and not internationally recognised.

## Why it matters
UNTAG supervised the transition to independence, and its reduced size and the disputes over it shaped the events of April 1989.

Ruler at the Time: [Louis Pienaar](https://allhistories.com/namibia/rulers/louis-pienaar-1985)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — United Nations Transition Assistance Group](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Transition_Assistance_Group)
- [Wikipedia — Martti Ahtisaari](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martti_Ahtisaari)