South Africa, as a key member of the
British Empire and
Commonwealth as a
Dominion, fought alongside the United Kingdom and the Allies in both
World War I and
World War II, and it participated in the postwar UN force in the
Korean War. South Africa was a founding member of the
League of Nations and in 1927 established a Department of External Affairs with
diplomatic missions in the main Western European countries and in the United States.
South Africa introduced apartheid in 1948, as a systematic extension of pre-existing
racial discrimination in the country. As a result, the country became increasingly isolated internationally until apartheid was abolished in 1991 and racial equality introduced between 1990 and 1993. This transition produced a change in South Africa's foreign policy. The country stopped trying to regain regional hegemony and started to behave as a central hub for co-operation as a regional unipole.
Post-apartheid (since 1994)
Having emerged from the
international isolation of the apartheid era, South Africa has become a leading international actor. Its principal foreign policy objective is to develop good relations with all countries, especially its neighbours in the
Southern African Development Community (*-see note below) and the other members of the African Union. South Africa has played a key role in seeking an end to various conflicts and political crises on the African continent, including in
Burundi, the
Democratic Republic of Congo, the
Comoros, and
Zimbabwe. In August 1998, South Africa assumed the chair of the
Non-Aligned Movement, which it relinquished in July 2002.
Eswatini has asked South Africa to open negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African territories that are populated by ethnic
Swazis or that were long ago part of the Swazi kingdom.
Commonwealth of Nations
South Africa was a
Dominion of the British Empire and the Commonwealth from 1910 until 1961.
South African votes in the UNSC have not been without controversy. In particular, a 'no' vote on a resolution criticising the
Burmese government attracted widespread criticism.[4]
Diplomatic relations
List of countries which South Africa maintains diplomatic relations with:
South Africa relations are quite strong, as the ruling parties in both nations – the
African National Congress in South Africa and the
MPLA in Angola – fought together during the
Angolan Civil War and
South African Border War. They fought against
UNITA rebels, based in Angola, and the
apartheid-era government in South Africa who supported them.
Nelson Mandela mediated between the MPLA and UNITA factions during the last years of Angola's civil war.
Angola has an embassy in Pretoria and consulates-general in
Cape Town and
Johannesburg.
Since South Africa and Malawi had their first democratic elections in 1994, Malawi and South Africa have enhanced relations. In 2008, the two governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding designed to enhance the relationship between the two countries through enhanced security cooperation.[90]
Malawi has a high commission in Pretoria and a consulate-general in Johannesburg.
Upon independence in 1990, Namibia's economy was still tied to South Africa's.[91] To this day, the
economy of Namibia is still closely contacted to South Africa through both institutional relationships (
Southern African Customs Union, for example) and privately owned mining concessions.[92] The
South African rand is still legal currency within Namibia (while the
Namibian dollar is not so in South Africa), and the currencies are traded on par locally.
Namibia has a high commission in Pretoria and a consulate-general in Cape Town.
The Government of Zimbabwe took a particular interest in the search for independence for
Namibia (South-West Africa) from South Africa. In addition, as chairman of the
front-line states in southern Africa, Zimbabwe spoke out vigorously against the policies of
apartheid in South Africa and frequently called for the imposition of economic sanctions against the government. However, whilst supporting democratic change in South Africa, Mugabe did not support the idea of Zimbabwe being used as a base for anti-South African guerillas.[93]
In recent years, following the political crisis in the country, the ex-president
Thabo Mbeki mediated with the MDC and Zanu PF to form a unity government, and often remained silent on the issues in Zimbabwe, which drew criticism.[94] Following a
cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe, the ruling ANC in South Africa became impatient and has urged the parties to form a unity government.[95]
Brazil has provided military assistance to South Africa in the form of warfare training and logistics. Bilateral relations between the countries have recently increased, as a result of Brazil's new South-Southforeign policy aimed to strengthen
integration between the major powers of the
developing world.
Canada established its diplomatic relations with South Africa in 1939, along with other nations, due to the outbreak of
World War II. Canada actively encouraged the end of
Apartheid in South Africa and the countries have had normal relations since then. The
Constitution of South Africa was, in part, inspired by the
Constitution of Canada, particularly the
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Former South African President
Nelson Mandela made an official state visit to Canada in September 1998. Mandela was made an
honorary Canadian citizen, during his second visit to Canada. A 2003 visit by President
Thabo Mbeki in November 2003, the Joint Declaration of Intent was signed to strengthen relations between the two countries. Canada has assisted South Africa in the areas of development (over
$200 million) and the fight against
AIDS in South Africa and to strengthen services provided by the
Government of South Africa. Trade between the two countries totalled $1.8 billion in 2008.[104]
There were no official relations between Mexico and South Africa before 1993. After the birth of democracy in South Africa, the countries established relations.
The United States has maintained an official presence in South Africa since 1799, when a US consulate was opened in
Cape Town. The US Embassy is located in
Pretoria, and consulates general are in
Johannesburg,
Durban and Cape Town. South Africans and the US also have many non-governmental ties: US
missionaries, for example, have a long history of activity in South Africa. South Africans (particularly the ANC leadership) also acknowledge support from and ties to the anti-
apartheid movement in the US.[111]
South Africa has an embassy in Beijing and a consulate-general in both Hong Kong and Shanghai.
Despite Pretoria's long relationship with the government in Taiwan and late recognition of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1998 the two countries currently enjoy an increasingly close relationship. Increasingly numerous official visits to each other's countries by their respective officials and rapidly increasing trade between the two countries has drawn them ever increasingly together.
There is a major resident Indian community in South Africa that made a significant contribution to the struggle for
civil rights; Indian leader
Mahatma Gandhi pioneered the non-violent
civil disobedience in the struggle of Indian people for civil rights in the 1890s and 1900s.[115] Indians also contributed to the
African National Congress's struggle against the apartheid regime. The Indian government was an outspoken critic of the apartheid-era South African government, refusing to maintain diplomatic relations.[116] India's support evoked goodwill in South Africa and other African countries.[116]
South Africa and Iran share historical bilateral relations and the latter supported the South African
liberation movements. It severed official relations with South Africa in 1979 and imposed a trade boycott in protest against the country's
apartheid policies. However, in January 1994, Iran lifted all trade and economic sanctions against South Africa and diplomatic relations were reestablished on 10 May 1994.[117]
Former
ANC leader
Nelson Mandela first visited Israel in 1999. Mandela said: "To the many people who have questioned why I came, I say: Israel worked very closely with the apartheid regime. I say: I've made peace with many men who slaughtered our people like animals. Israel cooperated with the apartheid regime, but it did not participate in any atrocities".[118] Then Israeli Deputy Prime Minister
Ehud Olmert visited South Africa in 2004,[119] meeting with South African President
Thabo Mbeki, the first visit by an Israeli leader since the end of apartheid.
Establishment of diplomatic relations: 1 December 1992.[120] South Korea had previously had diplomatic relations with South Africa from 1961 until 1978, when it severed them after
United Nations Security Council Resolution 418, in protest of apartheid.[121]
South Africa has a Taiwan Liaison Office in
Taipei.
Relations were established between the two countries in 1949 and grew considerably after 1971 until South Africa announced that it would switch recognition from the government in Taipei to the People's Republic of China in December 1996.
Interest Offices between South Africa and Bulgaria were opened initially in November 1990 and full diplomatic relations was established on 2 February 1992. Bulgaria has an embassy in
Pretoria and South Africa is represented in Bulgaria through its embassy in Sofia.
South African Department of Foreign Affairs about relations with Bulgaria.[125]
South Africa has strong cultural and historical links to the
European Union (EU) (particularly through immigration from the
Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and
Greece) and the EU is South Africa's biggest investor.[129]
Since the end of South Africa's
apartheid, EU – South African relations have flourished and they began a "Strategic Partnership" in 2007. In 1999 the two sides signed a Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement (TDCA) which entered into force in 2004, with some provisions being applied from 2000. The TDCA covered a wide range of issues from political cooperation, development and the establishment of a
free trade area (FTA).[129]
South Africa is the EU's largest trading partner in Southern Africa and has a FTA with the EU. South Africa's main exports to the EU are fuels and mining products (27%), machinery and transport equipment (18%) and other semi-manufactured goods (16%). However they are growing and becoming more diverse. European exports to South Africa are primarily machinery & transport equipment (50%), chemicals (15%) and other semi-machinery (10%).[130]
A South African legation was established in 1967 and relations were then upgraded to ambassadorial level in March 1991. Finland has an embassy in Pretoria, a general consulate in
Johannesburg and a consulate in
Cape Town. South Africa is accredited to Finland from its embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. During
World War II South Africa declared war on Finland.
South Africa is reluctant to tighten cultural ties with the Netherlands. South Africa rejected several offers of the Netherlands and Belgium to become a member state of the
Dutch Language Union.[134]
South Africa and the United Kingdom have a shared history, cultural links and similar systems of law and finance.
South Africa is the UK's largest trade partner in Africa and an important partner for the UK in a number of areas. The two countries also have a bilateral forum where representatives meet on a bi-annual basis so as to enhance economic and political relations.[144]
There are large numbers of South Africans living in the UK. There is also a large number of British citizens and people of British descent living in South Africa.
As of 2013 the UK is the top direct foreign investor in the South African economy and is also one of the largest export markets for South Africa.[145]
^Barry Turner, Brian Hunter (Librarian), Frederick Martin, Isaac Parker Anderson Renwick, John Paxton, Mortimer Epstein, Sigfrid Henry Steinberg, Sir John Scott Keltie (1943). The Statesman's Year-book. St. Martin's Press. p. 436.{{
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^South African Yearbook of International Law: Suid-Afrikaanse Jaarboek Vir Volkereg. Vol. 20. VerLoren Van Themaat Centre for International Law, University of South Africa. 1995. p. 341.
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