Diplomatic Inside

The Minister of International Relations and Co-operation, Dr Naledi Pandor, co-chaired the 17th South Africa-Russia Joint Inter-Governmental Committee on Trade and Economic Cooperation with Mr Alexander Kozlov, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation on Thursday, 30 March 2023, in Pretoria.

The ITEC meeting takes place within the context of a bilateral agreement that was signed in 1999 and revived in 2002 to give impetus to the political commitment between the two countries to broaden and deepen their relations. These engagements are further guided by the Treaty of Friendship and Partnership signed in September 2006, as well as by the Declaration of Strategic Partnership signed in March 2013 in Durban, South Africa.

Diplomatic relations between Russia and South Africa were established in February 1992. In 2022, the two countries celebrated 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations. The historical links between South Africa and the Russian Federation remain strong. The former USSR was one of the key supporters of the struggle for liberation in South Africa. South Africa became the first African state to recognise the independence of the Russian Federation post dissolution of the USSR.