Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Prime Minister, conducted a congratulatory phone call with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on his reelection.
During the call, they discussed ways to enhance and develop bilateral relations between the two friendly nations across various sectors and reviewed several topics of mutual interest.
The formal diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and South Africa date back to November 1994 when former South African President Nelson Mandela visited Saudi Arabia.
This visit was followed by the establishment of two diplomatic missions in March 1995: the South African Embassy in Riyadh and the General Consulate in Jeddah.
The first South African ambassador commenced his duties in November 1996, and the first South African consul arrived in Jeddah on July 1, 1996. The Saudi embassy in Pretoria opened in 1997.
The relationship has been significantly bolstered by mutual visits from officials on both sides, with notable visits including Mandela’s initial trip to Saudi Arabia in November 1994 and a visit by the late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, then Crown Prince, in May 1999.
Under the leadership of King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the ties between Saudi Arabia and South Africa have seen remarkable development in various fields, including politics, military, economy, trade, and investment.
The Kingdom welcomed the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding the Israeli war on Gaza and called on the international community to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law.
Saudi Arabia also praised “the efforts of South Africa in filing a lawsuit against the ongoing violations of the Israeli occupation in the Gaza Strip.”
