Relationship dossier
Canada
South Africa
Relationship assessment
A relationship transformed from Canadian opposition to apartheid into post-apartheid bilateral cooperation
Canada toward South Africa
+30Canada opposed apartheid-era South African government policies and supported the transition to democracy. In the post-apartheid period, Canada pursued bilateral cooperation with South Africa, including through a joint commission established in 2003.
South Africa toward Canada
+30Post-apartheid South Africa pursued bilateral cooperation with Canada through a joint commission established in 2003, providing a government-to-government framework for cooperation.
Overall relationship
+25The relationship underwent a substantial political shift: Canadian opposition to apartheid gave way to cooperation with democratic South Africa. The bilateral joint commission established in 2003 reflects an enduring cooperative framework, although the breadth and intensity of subsequent cooperation are unclear.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Canada opposed apartheid-era South African government policies and supported the transition to democracy. Since the end of apartheid, the governments have pursued bilateral cooperation, including through a joint commission established in 2003. The relationship reflects a marked shift from opposition to apartheid to practical cooperation, though the scope and continuity of that cooperation are not fully clear.
Areas of tension
- Canada opposed South Africa's apartheid-era government policies.
Key developments
Canada and South Africa established a joint commission for bilateral cooperation.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of cooperation under the bilateral joint commission are unclear.
- The scale and continuity of current government-to-government cooperation are uncertain.