Relationship dossier
Kosovo
South Africa
Relationship assessment
South Africa’s non-recognition of Kosovo is the central bilateral issue.
Kosovo toward South Africa
Not assessedSouth Africa toward Kosovo
-15South Africa has not recognized Kosovo as an independent state, opposing Kosovo’s claim to statehood.
Overall relationship
Not assessedHow 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
South Africa does not recognize Kosovo as an independent state, reflecting a substantive disagreement over Kosovo’s status. Information about direct Kosovo government conduct toward South Africa is insufficient to assess that relationship fully.
Areas of tension
- Kosovo’s claim to independence and South Africa’s refusal to recognize it.
Major uncertainties
- Details of direct Kosovo government engagement with South Africa are unclear.
- The scope of any practical bilateral cooperation, despite South Africa’s non-recognition of Kosovo, is unclear.