Transition to Democracy in South Africa and the role of the United Nations

The apartheid regime represented the official state ideology in South Africa in the time period from 1948 to 1994. The diploma thesis deals with the issue of South Africa's transition to democracy, in particular, it focuses on the role which was played by the United Nations in this process. Its activities can be sorted out into three main phases. The first phase dated between the years 1948 -- 1966 can be distinguished mainly by the key role played by the General Assembly. The second phase which took place in the period 1967 -- 1989 was primarily focused on the international campaign against apartheid and on the adoption of economic sanctions. The final and the most recent phase occurred in the early 90s (1990 -- 1994) and could be characterized by the role of the UN as a mediator of peace negotiations