. ▁Young ▁opened ▁up ▁friendly ▁relationships ▁with ▁key ▁African ▁leaders , ▁especially ▁in ▁Niger ia . ▁A ▁highly ▁controvers ial ▁issue ▁was ▁US ▁relations ▁with ▁South ▁Africa , ▁which ▁was ▁under ▁criticism ▁from ▁other ▁African ▁states ▁for ▁its ▁policy ▁of ▁ra cial ▁seg reg ation ▁( ap art heid ) ▁and ▁continued ▁occupation ▁of ▁Nam ib ia , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁de emed ▁illegal ▁by ▁the ▁United ▁Nations . ▁Young ▁began ▁United ▁Nations ▁discuss ions ▁on ▁Nam ib ian ▁independence ▁which ▁went ▁now here , ▁and ▁South ▁Africa ▁would ▁not ▁grant ▁that ▁territory ▁independence ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁long ▁after ▁Carter ▁left ▁office . ▁Young ▁advoc ated ▁compreh ensive ▁economic ▁san ctions ▁on ▁South ▁Africa ▁after ▁the ▁murder ▁of ▁anti - ap art heid ▁activ ist ▁Steve ▁B iko ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 , ▁but ▁Carter ▁refused ▁and ▁only ▁im posed ▁a ▁limited ▁arms ▁embargo . ▁ ▁Until ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁had ▁largely ▁ignored ▁Southern ▁Africa . ▁We ak ▁Soviet - back ed ▁ins ur gen cies ▁existed ▁in ▁Ang ola , ▁Moz amb ique , ▁Rh odes ia , ▁and ▁Nam ib ia , ▁but ▁did ▁not ▁appear ▁to ▁threaten ▁the ▁colonial ▁and ▁white ▁minor ity ▁govern ments ▁of ▁those ▁countries . ▁The ▁dissol ution ▁of ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁Empire ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁meant ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁colonial ▁rule ▁in ▁Ang ola ▁and ▁Moz amb ique . ▁The ▁region ▁emer ged ▁as ▁a ▁Cold ▁War ▁battle ground ▁in