Algeria–South Africa relations

Algeria–South Africa relations are the international relations between the Algeria and South Africa.

Algeria-South relations

Algeria
South Africa

History

The political relations between the two countries officially started in the 1950s and 1960s.[1] The bond between the two countries formed around their respective internal conflicts that were repeatedly neglected by the United Nations Security Council.[2] In 1961, with a fake Ethiopian passport, Nelson Mandela traveled to Morocco where he was trained by the armed forces of the Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN). In his book Long Walk to Freedom, he reveals his struggle against the apartheid was greatly inspired by the struggle of the Algerian soldiers. The FLN then provided the African National Congress with weapons. Returning to Algiers in 1990, Mandela declared «The Algerian army made me a man». Algeria was the first country visited by Mandela after his release.[3][4]

In November 1964, the University of Algiers conferred an honorary Doctorate of Literature to South African activist Albert Lutuli.[5]

In 1974, in support to the anti-apartheid movement, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Algeria Abdelaziz Bouteflika successfully lobbied for the expulsion of the South Africa representation from the United Nations General Assembly that he presided that year.[6] He successfully argued that South Africa's delegates were invalid because they represented only a white minority.[7]

An ANC-backer, Algeria bought weapons and surveillance equipment from South Africa (for over $15 million in 1997, $51.3 million in 1999, SA's top client that year) to fight its own Civil War.[8] In November 1997, the South African Embassy was established in Algiers.[1] The Algerian-South African High Binational Commission for Cooperation (HCBNC) was created in September 2000.[6]

During a visit in South Sudan in February 2017, Moroccan king Mohammed VI intended to demonstrate how the Algeria-South Africa block feeding secessionist movements in Africa, including the Polisario Front, had failed.[9] In May 2017, South Africa blocked a $5 million shipment of 50,000 tons of Moroccan phosphate heading to New Zealand, on the premise that the phosphorus had been extracted in the Western Sahara region, a situation that is deemed as prohibited only by the Polisario Front.[10]

Economic relations

Between 2011 and 2015, Algeria was South Africa's largest trading partner in Northern Africa (43% of SA's total trades in the region). South Africa exports to Algeria were estimated at R13 billion, while Algeria exports to South Africa were estimated around R463 million.[11]

References
  1. Algeria (Democratic People's Republic of), Dirco.gov.za
  2. Chapter three: The historical Security Council of 1956, Amun.org, 1956
  3. Abdeldjalil Larbi Youcef, The Algerian army made me a man, Jstor.org, 2014
  4. Minister: Mandela received his first military training in Algeria, Alarabiya.net, 7 December 2013
  5. Oliver R. Tambo, Statement "Algeria honours Chief Luthuli" Archived 2018-01-17 at the Wayback Machine, Anc.org, 30 November 1964
  6. Brief overview of the relations between Algeria and South Africa, Embassyofalgeria-rsa.org
  7. South Africa is again denied a seat by General Assembly, Nytimes.com, 3 March 1981
  8. Arms trade in practice, Hrw.org, October 2000
  9. Hassan Masiky, Morocco’s King in Juba: Algeria, South Africa Lose South Sudan, Western Sahara Parallel, Moroccoworldnews.com, 2 February 2017
  10. Samir Bennis, Moroccan Phosphates: Why South Africa’s Move Violates International Law, Sahara-question.com, 5 May 2017
  11. South Africa and Algeria strengthen foundation for trade links, Thediplomaticsociety.co.za, 6 October 2017
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