Relationship dossier
South Africa
Sweden
Relationship assessment
Post-apartheid cooperation follows a history of Swedish opposition to apartheid
South Africa toward Sweden
+15Since the end of apartheid, South Africa has participated in bilateral cooperation with Sweden, including development cooperation that began in 1994 and continued until 2013. The broader scope of South African government cooperation with Sweden is unclear.
Sweden toward South Africa
+10Sweden opposed apartheid and imposed restrictive measures on South Africa during that period. After apartheid, Sweden provided bilateral development cooperation to South Africa from 1994 to 2013, reflecting a shift toward practical cooperation.
Overall relationship
+15The relationship combines Sweden's sustained opposition to apartheid and related restrictions with post-apartheid development cooperation. The transition created a basis for constructive bilateral engagement, though the scope and durability of current 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
South Africa and Sweden have developed cooperative ties since the end of apartheid, including Swedish bilateral development cooperation with South Africa from 1994 to 2013. Their relationship also carries a history of sharp political disagreement: Sweden opposed apartheid and adopted restrictive measures against South Africa. The balance of cooperation and historic tension supports a mixed but modestly positive assessment.
Areas of tension
- Sweden's opposition to apartheid and restrictive measures against South Africa during the apartheid era.
Key developments
Swedish bilateral development cooperation with South Africa began after the end of apartheid.
Swedish bilateral development cooperation with South Africa concluded after nearly two decades.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of current bilateral cooperation are unclear.
- The relative weight of present-day cooperation and the lasting effects of apartheid-era tensions is uncertain.