Relationship dossier
Iraq
South Africa
Relationship assessment
A relationship shaped by anti-apartheid solidarity and South Africa’s diplomatic engagement with Iraq
Iraq toward South Africa
+35Iraq supported the anti-apartheid struggle, providing a basis for political solidarity with the government that emerged in South Africa. The extent and form of that support are unclear.
South Africa toward Iraq
+35Nelson Mandela visited Baghdad in 1997 and advocated engagement with Iraq. South Africa also opposed the 2003 invasion and called for the Iraq issue to be handled through the United Nations.
Overall relationship
+30Anti-apartheid solidarity and South Africa’s later diplomatic engagement with Iraq are defining features of the relationship. South Africa’s opposition to the 2003 invasion reflected a preference for a multilateral approach, while the scope of sustained practical cooperation remains 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
Iraq supported the anti-apartheid struggle, while post-apartheid South Africa pursued engagement with Iraq, including Nelson Mandela’s 1997 visit to Baghdad and opposition to the 2003 invasion. These actions reflect political solidarity and diplomatic engagement, though the scope and continuity of practical bilateral cooperation are unclear.
Key developments
Nelson Mandela visited Baghdad and advocated engagement with Iraq.
South Africa opposed the invasion of Iraq and favored a United Nations-led approach.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and continuity of practical cooperation between the two governments are unclear.
- The details of Iraq’s support for the anti-apartheid movement are uncertain.