Ukraine-South Africa Relations Through the Years: Key Insights and Developments

In 2023, the President of the Republic of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, made his first official visit to Ukraine. This event was significant for both countries, marking the first visit of its kind since Ukraine's independence. Notably, South Africa recognized Ukraine's independence within its sovereign borders in February 1992, just two months after the decisive referendum on December 1, 1991. Since then, both countries have established embassies and signed cooperation agreements.

Ramaphosa’s visit marked an important new phase in bilateral relations. Given the vast geographical distance between Ukraine and South Africa, interactions between the two nations had previously been limited. However, this visit changed a lot: the leaders discussed various areas of cooperation and addressed Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.

Following this, the leaders of the two countries met several more times, including in September 2024 in New York and during the Economic Forum in Davos in January 2025. During the latter meeting, President Zelenskyy invited the South African leader to join an initiative focused on the return of Ukrainian children forcibly taken from their homeland.

Delegations from both countries have also met on multiple occasions, with an increasing number of visits by Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to South Africa, reflecting a shared desire to strengthen diplomatic and business ties.

Visits and cooperation

The first visits from South Africa to Ukraine began in May 2022, just a few months after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Among the first visitors were John Steenhuisen, a member of South Africa’s National Assembly and leader of the Democratic Alliance party, and Greg Mills, director of the prominent South African think tank, The Brenthurst Foundation.

During their visit, South African representatives toured a refugee camp in Poland, several locations in Lviv, and later traveled to Kyiv region—specifically Bucha, Irpin, and Hostomel—sites where the world first witnessed the atrocities committed by Russian forces in Ukraine. The significance of this visit lay in allowing South African citizens to gain firsthand knowledge of the situation in Ukraine through their own trusted political figures.

Both sides also agreed on cooperation across various sectors, from culture to business. Despite their unique market characteristics, both countries see potential opportunities for mutual trade and investment.

On October 12, 2022, the fourth round of political consultations took place between Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) at the deputy ministerial level.

Government visits continued in 2023 and 2024. As a leading participant in the "Grain from Ukraine" initiative, Ukraine discussed grain supply issues with African countries and explored South Africa’s involvement in Ukrainian food security initiatives.

Additionally, Ukraine has been sharing its expertise in state digitalization—particularly the "state in a smartphone" project. Several African partners have already expressed interest in adopting Ukraine’s digital governance solutions. The Ukrainian initiative, known as Diia, currently has over 21 million registered users and serves as a model for other nations.

Ukrainian foreign ministers have also consistently engaged with South African business associations to explore avenues for economic collaboration. The most recent meeting took place in October 2024, when Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha met with leaders of local business organizations.

Ukraine is keen to expand business ties with South Africa and, more broadly, to increase its presence across Africa. In 2024, Ukraine completed the accreditation process for its representative at the Southern African Development Community (SADC), an important economic bloc on the continent. Additionally, Ukraine’s Ambassador to South Africa, Liubov Abravitova, has actively participated in local exhibitions, conferences, and industry events, including the Africa Aerospace and Defense Expo, one of the largest events in this sector in South Africa.

The future of Ukraine-South Africa relations

Ukraine and the Republic of South Africa have significant opportunities for closer collaboration, both in economic activities and cultural exchanges, as well as in strengthening diplomatic relations. In recent years, this partnership has grown significantly, setting the stage for deeper engagement in the future.