The European Community announces that it will lift economic sanctions against South Africa

On 27 January 1992, the European Community announced that it will lift economic sanctions against South Africa which imposed in September 1985. While some European countries and the US initially refused to impose sanctions on South Africa, the growing social unrest and state brutality in the 1980s forced these countries to impose sanctions.  In contrast to the stance taken by western countries, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly passed numerous resolutions against the South African government over its policy of apartheid. For instance, in 1962 the UN General Assembly passed a non-binding resolution calling upon members "separately or collectively, in conformity with the charter" to break diplomatic relations with South Africa, to close ports to South African vessels, to prohibit vessels flying their flags to enter South African ports, to boycott South African trade and to suspend landing rights for South African aircraft."