Forging the world's youngest democracy.

• Position: Namibia

One of the most important tasks facing the people of Namibia is the formulation of a Constitution for what is to become the world's youngest democracy.

And a succinct text approved by the Security Council in 1982-the "Principles concerning the Constituent Assembly and the Constitution for an independent Namibia" 8,115287)-may provide major elements for that Constitution.

Originally proposed by the five Western countries that negotiated the 1978 Namibia independence plan-Canada, France, Federal Republic of Germany, United Kingdom, United States-the text was transmitted to the UN Secretary-General on 12 July 1982, after South Africa and SWAPO accepted it.

The Principles "constituted an integral part of the United Nations plan" and remained binding on the parties, the Secretary-General reiterated on 23 January 1989 (S/20412). His position was backed by the Security Council in resolution 632 (1989).

The document specifies that the Namibian constitution should be adopted by a two-thirds majority of the Constituent Assembly and that a multi-party system should prevail.

The Constitution should reflect the following principles, among others:

Namibia will be a unitary, sovereign and democratic State.

* I The Constitution will be the supreme law of the State.

* The Constitution will determine the organization and powers of all levels of government with three branches:

* an elected executive branch which will be responsible to the legislative branch;

* a legislative branch to be elected by universal and equal suffrage which will be responsible for the passage of all laws; and

* an independent judicial branch which will be responsible for the interpretation of the Constitution and for...