 | |
 South Africa |  Ukraine |
|---|---|
| Envoy | |
| Ambassador André Groenewald | Ambassador Liubov Abravitova |
South African-Ukrainian relations refers to the current and historical relations between South Africa and Ukraine. South Africa established an embassy in Kyiv in October 1992 while Ukraine established an embassy in Pretoria in 1995. [1]
South Africa has avoided criticizing Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and instead argued for solidarity amongst BRICS nations. [2]
Although initially critical of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, [3] [4] South Africa sought to repair and maintain friendly relations with Russia. [5] [6] President Ramaphosa stated that South Africans "in the main" support the South African government's neutral position on the war. [7]
South Africa was one of 35 countries that abstained from voting on a United Nations condemnation of Russia's invasion of the country, [8] a stance that Ukrainian Ambassador to South Africa Liubov Abravitova described as "puzzling", "unacceptable" and "alarming." [9] Said ambassador later stated that her country was finding it difficult to engage with the South African government on the issue due to a lingering goodwill towards Russia, citing the Soviet Union's assistance to the anti-apartheid struggle as the reason, something the ruling African National Congress (ANC) views as being provided by Russia.[ citation needed ]
On 20 April 2022, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the war, seven weeks after Ramaphosa discussed the war with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The length of time between Ramaphosa's discussions with the two and the reported difficulty that the Ukrainians had in organising the meeting was cause for controversy. [10]
A March 2022 draft resolution presented by South Africa to the United Nations was criticized by Ukraine as favouring Russia without consulting Ukraine. [11] This draft resolution omitted any mention of Russia's aggressive actions towards Ukraine. [12] [13] Instead, an alternative resolution proposed by France and Mexico that explicitly mentioned Russia as the aggressor was adopted. [13] [11]
Domestically, the South African government's position was controversial among its citizens. The Western Cape Government (headed by the opposition party Democratic Alliance) lit up the provincial government buildings [14] and the Cape Town City Hall [15] in the blue and gold of the Ukrainian flag in support of the country. The mayor of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis, pledged support on 2 March for the city of Kyiv and all Ukraine during the war, [16] and called on his nation's government as well as governments worldwide to "do more for peace to be restored and for the unprovoked and illegal aggression against the Ukrainian people to be halted." [15] The ANC and Al Jamah-ah parties were reportedly opposed to the City Hall's lighting ceremony. [17]
The Western Cape provincial cabinet later passed a resolution to condemn the Russian invasion in support of Ukraine, as well as the clampdown on protest within Russia against the war. The condemnation also included a boycott of the events or meetings hosted by the Russian Embassy and Consulates, as well as a refusal to invite them to the Western Cape Government's own events or meetings. [18]
Following the issue of an arrest warrant for Putin following the invasion the Western Cape Government announced that should Putin enter the province then provincial law enforcement would arrest him. [19] This was counter to the national government which had invited Putin to attend a BRICS conference in South Africa later in 2023. [20]
On 16 June 2023, Cyril Ramaphosa visited Kyiv, the first visit by a South African leader, as part of the African Peace Mission to Ukraine. [21]
In 2008, South Africa was ranked second (after Ghana) among all African countries in terms of products exported to Ukraine. In that year, trade between the two countries had grown 5.4 times to $375.1 million. [22] By 2021, South Africa exported R434.83 million (US$ 28.98 million) and imported R730.10 million (US$ 48.67 million) worth of goods to and from Ukraine. [23]
The African National Congress (ANC) is a political party in South Africa. It originated as a liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid and has governed the country since 1994, when the first post-apartheid election resulted in Nelson Mandela being elected as President of South Africa. Cyril Ramaphosa, the incumbent national President, has served as President of the ANC since 18 December 2017.
Air Force Base Waterkloof {AFB Wklf} is an airbase of the South African Air Force. It is situated on the outskirts of Pretoria, and is the SAAF's busiest airbase. The base's name means "water ravine" in Afrikaans and in Dutch. Despite the name, this base is not located in the suburban town of Waterkloof, Pretoria, but lies to the south of Pretoria, 4.34 nmi (8.04 km) to the northeast of Centurion, Gauteng and 3.37 nmi (6.24 km) from AFB Swartkop, at an elevation of 1506 metres (4940 ft).
Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa is a South African businessman and politician serving as the 5th and current president of South Africa since 2018. A former anti-apartheid activist and trade union leader, Ramaphosa is also the president (leader) of the African National Congress (ANC).
Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor is a South African politician, educator and academic serving as the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation since 2019. She has served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the African National Congress (ANC) since 1994.
The United States and South Africa currently maintain bilateral relations with one another. The United States and South Africa have been economically linked to one another since the late 18th century which has continued into the 21st century. United States and South Africa relations faced periods of strain throughout the 20th century due to the segregationist, white minority rule in South Africa, from 1948 to 1994. Following the end of apartheid in South Africa, the United States and South Africa have developed a strategically, politically, and economically beneficial relationship with one another and currently enjoy "cordial relations" despite "occasional strains". South Africa remains the United States' largest trading partner in Africa as of 2019.
Russia–South Africa relations are foreign relations between Russia and South Africa. Full diplomatic relations were established between both countries in 1942 as the Soviet Union. Russia has an embassy in Pretoria and a consulate-general in Cape Town. South Africa has an embassy in Moscow. Both countries are also members of BRICS.
The Republic of India recognised Ukraine as a sovereign country in December 1991 following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and established diplomatic relations in January 1992. The Indian Embassy in Kyiv was opened in May 1992 and Ukraine opened its Mission in New Delhi in February 1993. The Consulate General of India in Odesa functioned from 1962 until its closure in March 1999.
Lindiwe Nonceba Sisulu is a South African politician. She represented the African National Congress (ANC) in the National Assembly of South Africa between April 1994 and March 2023. During that time, from 2001 to 2023, she served continuously in the cabinet as a minister under four consecutive presidents. President Cyril Ramaphosa sacked her from his cabinet in March 2023, precipitating her resignation from the National Assembly.
Finnish-South African relations are foreign relations between Finland and South Africa. Diplomatic relations established May 15, 1949. 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.
Germany–South Africa relations are the current and historical relations between Germany and South Africa. Germany has an embassy in Pretoria and a consulate in Cape Town. South Africa has an embassy in Berlin and a consulate-general in Munich.
Japan–South Africa relations are the current and historical bilateral relations between Japan and South Africa.
General elections were held in South Africa on 8 May 2019 to elect a new President, National Assembly and provincial legislatures in each province. These were the sixth elections held since the end of apartheid in 1994 and determined who would become the next President of South Africa.
Poland–South Africa relations are the bilateral relations between Poland and South Africa. Both nations are members of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.
The Islamic Republic of Iran and Ukraine established formal diplomatic relations on 22 January 1992. Iran recognized Ukraine as an independent sovereign state on 25 December 1991, four months after the Ukrainian SSR issued the Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine amidst the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Iran has an embassy in Ukraine's Kyiv, and Ukraine has an embassy in Iran's Tehran. The two countries enjoyed a generally cordial relationship with each other until January 2020, when Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, killing all of the 176 civilians onboard.
Rwanda–South Africa relations are the bilateral relations between Rwanda and South Africa. Both countries are members of the African Union and the Commonwealth of Nations.
The 2023 BRICS summit was the fifteenth annual BRICS summit, an international relations conference attended by the heads of state or heads of government of the five member states: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa also invited the leaders of 67 countries to the summit.
Many states, international organizations, and civil society actors worldwide had expressed their reactions to the then-escalating crisis between Russia and Ukraine that started in March 2021. The crisis eventually culminated in a Russian invasion of Ukraine, beginning on 24 February 2022.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine violated international law. The invasion has also been called a crime of aggression under international criminal law, and under some countries' domestic criminal codes – including those of Ukraine and Russia – although procedural obstacles exist to prosecutions under these laws.
South African-United Arab Emirates relations refer to the bilateral relations between South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. South Africa has an embassy in Abu Dhabi. United Arab Emirates has an embassy in Pretoria.
The Lady R incident, also known as #LadyRussiagate, refers to the docking of the sanctioned Russian cargo ship Lady R at Simon's Town Naval Base in South Africa in December 2022 and the resulting diplomatic impact. The ship was carrying military cargo. The incident is controversial for the secretive nature of the docking and an allegation by the United States ambassador to South Africa that South African military supplies were loaded onto the ship for use in Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
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