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Mexico–South Africa relations

{{Infobox bilateral relations|Mexico-South Africa|Mexico|South Africa}}

The nations of Mexico and South Africa established diplomatic relations in 1993. Bilateral relations between both nations have been characterized by a good level of political dialogue and by the mutual recognition of the leadership and involvement exercised by both countries in their respective regions.

Both nations are members of the G-20 major economies, Group of 24 and the United Nations.

History

File:El Legado de Mandela. Veinte años de libertad en Sudáfrica, en MMyT 02.jpg in Mexico City, 2014.]]

After the Second Boer War, in 1903 approximately 37 Afrikaner families migrated to the Mexican Northern State of Chihuahua, with one of them being Ben Viljoen where he lived at Hacienda Humboldt for a time.[https://portales.sre.gob.mx/acervo/images/libros/RI/vol_7_africa.pdf Historia de Relaciones Internacionales de México, 1821 - 2010 - África y Medio Oriente: pages 78-83, 88, 116, 124, 142 & 221 (in Spanish)] Viljoen would later fight alongside Mexican President Francisco I. Madero during the Mexican Revolution.

After the establishment of the Union of South Africa, Mexico opened an honorary consulate in Cape Town in 1932. Beginning with the official implementation of Apartheid by the South African government, Mexico vehemently opposed South Africa's apartheid policy at the United Nations. Mexico also opposed South Africa's involvement and military interventions in Angola, Namibia and in Rhodesia (present-day Zimbabwe). In 1968, South Africa was not invited to participate in the Summer Olympics held in Mexico City.[https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021/07/28/its-impossible-separate-politics-olympics/ It’s impossible to separate politics and the Olympics]

In 1974, Mexico closed its honorary consulate in Cape Town. In 1976, Mexico ratified the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination which implied the commitment not to maintain economic, financial, commercial, sports and touristic relations with South Africa.

From 1980–1981, Mexico was non-permanent member in the United Nations Security Council. While on the council, Mexico voted in favor of United Nations Security Council Resolution 475 condemning the continuing attacks on Angola by South Africa through occupied South West Africa (present-day Namibia). In 1985, during a UN meeting for Namibia in Vienna, Mexico called for full-sanctions against the South African government.[https://embamex.sre.gob.mx/sudafrica/index.php/opt-embajada México y Sudáfrica conmemoraron los 20 años (in Spanish)]

In 1991, Nelson Mandela, head of the African National Congress, visited Mexico during his tour of Latin-American nations.[https://www.noroeste.com.mx/internacional/la-visita-a-mexico-de-nelson-mandela-DNNO846126 "La visita a México de Nelson Mandela" (in Spanish)] During his visit, Mandela met with President Carlos Salinas de Gortari.

On 27 October 1993 both nations formally established diplomatic relations.[https://centrogilbertobosques.senado.gob.mx/docs/NI_Nombramientos_Senado_270218.pdf Información general entre México y Sudáfrica - pages 7-8 (in Spanish)] In 1994 both nations established a diplomatic mission in each other's capital's, respectively. In 1999, Mexican Foreign Secretary Rosario Green traveled to South Africa to attend the inauguration of President Thabo Mbeki.[https://repositorio.colmex.mx/concern/articles/9p290995j?utf8=✓&search_field=all_fields&q=Crónica+de+una+Política Crónica de una política inexistente: las relaciones entre México y África, 1994-2000 - page 924 (in Spanish)]

In 2002, President Mbeki paid a visit to Mexico to attend the Monterrey Consensus and met with President Vicente Fox. That same year, President Fox paid a visit to South Africa. In June 2010, Mexican President Felipe Calderón paid a visit to South Africa to attend the 2010 FIFA World Cup and met with President Jacob Zuma. In November 2010, President Zuma paid a visit to Mexico to attend the 2010 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Cancún. In 2012, President Zuma paid a second visit to Mexico to attend the G20 Summit in Los Cabos.

In December 2013, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto visited South Africa to attend the funeral for Nelson Mandela.[https://www.excelsior.com.mx/nacional/2013/12/09/932794 Enrique Peña Nieto acude hoy a funeral de Mandela (in Spanish)] In 2015, South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa paid a visit to Mexico to attend the Open Government Partnership Summit. While in Mexico, Ramaphosa paid a visit to President Peña Nieto and discussed the consolidation of bilateral political, economic and trade relations between the two countries.[https://www.gov.za/news/media-statements/deputy-president-cyril-ramaphosa-concludes-visit-mexico-29-oct-2015 Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa concludes visit to Mexico]

In August 2023, South African Deputy Foreign Minister Alvin Botes paid a visit to Mexico to attend the 3rd Meeting of the Consultation Mechanism on Matters of Mutual Interests between both nations cohosted with his counterpart Carmen Moreno Toscano.[https://www.gob.mx/sre/prensa/mexico-y-sudafrica-acuerdan-relanzar-sus-vinculos-politicos-economicos-y-de-cooperacion México y Sudáfrica acuerdan relanzar sus vínculos políticos, económicos y de cooperación (in Spanish)] That same year, both nations celebrated 30 years of diplomatic relations.[https://embajadasudafrica.mx/30th-anniversary-of-diplomatic-relations-between-mexico-and-south-africa/ 30th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Mexico and South Africa]

High-level visits

File:Cumbre de Líderes del G20 (35388592230).jpg and President Jacob Zuma at the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany; July 2017.]]

File:Cumbre del G20 en Los Cabos, México.jpg and President Jacob Zuma at the G20 Summit in Los Cabos, Mexico; June 2012.]]

High-level visits from Mexico to South Africa[https://www.gob.mx/sre/prensa/mexico-and-south-africa-agree-to-expand-bilateral-ties-and-multilateral-coordination?idiom=en Mexico and South Africa Agree to Expand Bilateral Ties and Multilateral Coordination][https://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/2009-02-18/sudafrica-y-mexico-establecen-comision-binacional-para-reforzar-relaciones_1002084/ Sudáfrica y México establecen Comisión Binacional para reforzar relaciones (in Spanish)]

High-level visits from South Africa to Mexico[http://sil.gobernacion.gob.mx/Archivos/Documentos/2011/09/asun_2792072_20110913_1315927360.pdf Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane in Mexico (in Spanish)]

Bilateral agreements

Both nations have signed several bilateral agreements such as a General Cooperation Agreement (1998); Memorandum of Understanding for the Establishment of a Consultation Mechanism on Matters of Mutual Interest (2001); Agreement on Cultural Cooperation (2004); Technical Cooperation Agreement on Social Development (2006); Agreement for Cooperation and Conservation of Species between Mexico City's Chapultepec Zoo and Pretoria Zoo (2007); Agreement for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion (2009); Memorandum of Understanding for the Establishment of a Binational Commission (2009); Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (2011); Memorandum of Understanding for the Establishment of a Mechanism of Consultation in Matters of Mutual Interest (2011); Extradition Treaty (2014); Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (2013); Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism Cooperation between the Secretariat of Tourism of Mexico and the Department of Tourism of South Africa (2014); Memorandum of Understanding between Bancomext of Mexico and the Export Credit Insurance Corporation of South Africa (2014); Memorandum of Understanding on Air Services (2016); and an Agreement of Cooperation between Mexico's National Autonomous University of Mexico and South Africa's University of the Witwatersrand for the creation of a Centre for Mexican Studies at the University of Witwatersrand (2017).

Trade relations

In 2023, trade between the two nations amounted to US$1.2 billion.[https://www.economia.gob.mx/datamexico/en/profile/country/sudafrica Data México: South Africa] Mexico's main exports to South Africa include: telephones and mobile phones, data processing machines, machinery for agriculture, parts and accessories for motor vehicles, chemical based products, rubber tires, tools, medical appliances, fish, pepper and alcohol. South Africa's main exports to Mexico include: unwrought aluminum and nickel, motor vehicles for the transport of goods, machinery and mechanical appliances, minerals, chemical based products, paper, hides, corn, seeds, fruits and nuts.

File:Edificio Forum - Andrés Bello 10 - Ciudad de México.jpg

Mexican multinational companies such as Cosmocel, Grupo Bimbo, Gruma and KidZania (among others) operate in South Africa.[https://expansion.mx/empresas/2018/05/18/estas-son-las-empresas-mexicanas-pioneras-en-africa Estas son las Empresas Mexicanas Pioneras en África (in Spanish)] South African multinational companies such as Aspen Pharmacare, Dimension Data, Master Drilling, Naspers and Sappi; operate in Mexico.[https://embamex.sre.gob.mx/sudafrica/index.php/mexico-sudafrica/bilateral-relations Bilateral Relations Mexico-South Africa]

Resident diplomatic missions

  • Mexico has an embassy in Pretoria.[https://embamex.sre.gob.mx/sudafrica/ Embassy of Mexico in Pretoria]
  • South Africa has an embassy in Mexico City.[https://embajadasudafrica.mx/ Embassy of South Africa in Mexico City]

See also

References

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{{Foreign relations of Mexico}}

{{Foreign relations of South Africa}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mexico-South Africa relations}}

South Africa

Category:Bilateral relations of South Africa