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United Nations Temporary Executive Authority

This article is about United Nations mission. For the history of West New Guinea during United Nations administration, see United Nations Administered West New Guinea.

The United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (UNTEA) was established on 1 October 1962 in accord with Article two of the New York Agreement to administer the former Dutch colony of West New Guinea until it was handed over to Indonesia on 1st May 1963.

In addition to civil administration, the United Nations also had a peacekeeping role through the United Nations Security Force (UNSF). The maximum force strength was 1,500 infantry and 76 aircraft personnel. Pakistan, Canada and United States contributed personnel with Pakistan providing 1,500 troops and the United States and Canada contributing 60 and 16 air force personnel respectively.[3] The Force Commander for the UNSF was Said Uddin Khan of Pakistan.

This was the first time in its history that the United Nations assumed direct administrative responsibility for a territory (as opposed to monitoring or supervising). The United Nations would go on to undertake similar missions in Cambodia (UNTAC), Croatia (UNTAES), Kosovo (UNMIK) and East Timor (UNTAET).

Head of mission

UNTEA was led by Special Representative of the Secretary General José Rolz-Bennett [es] of Guatemala from 1 October 1962 to 15 November, and then by Jalal Abdoh [fa] of the Imperial State of Iran who served from 15 November 1962 to 1 May 1963.

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death) 		Term of office
Took office Left office Time in office
- José Rolz-Bennett [es]
(acting) 		1 October 1962 15 November 1962 45 days
1 Jalal Abdoh [fa] 15 November 1962 1 May 1963 167 days

See also

References

  1. ^ Myung-Ki, Kim (1990). "Some Legal Problems Concerning Withdrawal of the United Nations Forces". The Journal of East Asian Affairs. 4 (2): 299. ISSN 1010-1608. JSTOR 23254021.
  2. ^ "UNITED NATIONS SECURITY FORCE IN WEST NEW GUINEA (UNSF) - Facts and Figures".
  3. ^ Goodwin, Geoffrey L. (1965). "The Commonwealth and the United Nations". International Organization. 19 (3): 691. doi:10.1017/S0020818300012510. ISSN 0020-8183. JSTOR 2705876. S2CID 153884868.