Relationship dossier
South Africa
Venezuela
Relationship assessment
Political alignment and bilateral cooperation, with implementation and scope unclear
South Africa toward Venezuela
+35South African governments have supported dialogue over Venezuela’s political crisis and opposed external pressure, while bilateral agreements and a joint commission have provided a framework for cooperation in areas including energy, mining and agriculture.
Venezuela toward South Africa
+35Venezuela has maintained a bilateral cooperation framework with South Africa, including agreements and a joint commission focused on areas such as energy, mining and agriculture. The two governments have also aligned politically in support of South Africa’s anti-apartheid legacy and non-interference.
Overall relationship
+30The relationship combines a durable political affinity, including solidarity linked to South Africa’s anti-apartheid history, with institutionalized cooperation through bilateral agreements and a joint commission. Its practical depth is difficult to gauge because the implementation and recent scope of sectoral 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 Venezuela have pursued political and economic cooperation through bilateral agreements and a joint commission, with recurring emphasis on energy, mining and agriculture. South African governments have also supported dialogue and opposed external pressure over Venezuela’s political crisis. The relationship reflects sustained diplomatic alignment and practical cooperation, though its implementation and breadth are unclear.
Key developments
South Africa and Venezuela established a joint commission and signed bilateral cooperation agreements covering areas including energy, mining and agriculture.
South African governments opposed external pressure over Venezuela’s political crisis and called for dialogue.
Major uncertainties
- The current scope and implementation of bilateral agreements are unclear.
- The extent of recent trade and sectoral cooperation is uncertain.