Libya–South Africa relations refer to the current and historical relationship between

Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Suda ...

and

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

Gaddafi regime

Apartheid regime

From the time Muammar Gaddafi assumed power in Libya in 1969 until the end of

apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...

in South Africa and the country's first democratic elections in 1994 the Gaddafi regime was hostile to the government in

Pretoria Pretoria () is South Africa's administrative capital, serving as the seat of the executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to South Africa. Pretoria straddles the Apies River and extends eastward into the foot ...

. Libya provided funding and support to South African anti-apartheid movements. as well as military training to

ANC The African National Congress (ANC) is a social-democratic political party in South Africa. A liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid, it has governed the country since 1994, when the first post-apartheid election install ...

combatants. After the legalisation of the ANC, then ANC leader Nelson Mandela visited Gaddafi in Libya in May 1990 to thank him for Libya's assistance.

ANC government

After South Africa's first democratic elections in April 1994 and the arrival of the new

African National Congress The African National Congress (ANC) is a social-democratic political party in South Africa. A liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid, it has governed the country since 1994, when the first post-apartheid election install ...

(ANC) government South African - Libyan relations were transformed overnight from one of hostility to one of friendship and cooperation. This saw bilateral trade and investments increase greatly and South Africa making significant contributions to further negotiations for the release of the two Libyan suspects involved in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie. This relationship was highlighted by official visits to Libya by former President Mandela and former President

Thabo Mbeki Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki KStJ (; born 18 June 1942) is a South African politician who was the second president of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008, when he resigned at the request of his party, the African National Congress (ANC ...

. Mandela made two official visits to the country as president of South Africa. Once in 1994 shortly after being elected president and again in October 1997. In June 2002 then President Mbeki led a South African delegation to Libya to discuss issues ranging from closer economic integration and bilateral trade to the launch of the African Union in

Durban Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...

later that year. In 1994 Gaddafi, then still a world pariah, was invited to attend then President Nelson Mandela's swearing in ceremony. Responding to

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

criticism of the new ANC government's close relationship with the Gaddafi regime Mandela stated that: It is alleged that the

Gaddafi government Muammar Gaddafi became the ''de facto'' leader of Libya on 1 September 1969 after leading a group of young Libyan Army officers against King Idris I in a bloodless coup d'état. After the king had fled the country, the Revolutionary Comma ...

gave the ANC money for its election campaigns from 1994 until its fall in 2011. South Africa bestowed the Order of Good Hope, one of its highest honours, on Gaddafi in 1997.

Libyan civil war

Despite backing U.N. Security Council resolution 1973 the official position of the South African government has been against the NATO bombing of Gaddafi forces and in support of the African Union's "road map to peace" which called for an immediate ceasefire, opening channels for humanitarian aid and talks between the rebels and government. South Africa's Deputy Minister for Foreign affairs

Ebrahim Ismail Ebrahim Ebrahim Ismail Ebrahim (1 July 19376 December 2021) was a South African anti-apartheid activist of Indian origin who was a member of the African National Congress's armed wing uMkhonto we Sizwe''.'' He was tried in the Pietermaritzburg sabotag ...

has stated that the way in which Resolution 1973 was implemented and the regime change policy of

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

has left the South African government feeling betrayed by the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

and the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

. Ebrahim also stated that in the future this sense of betrayal might prevent South Africa from supporting other UN resolutions proposed by these countries. The

lead South African government has been seen to be sympathetic to the Gaddafi government. One South African based analyst has identified six reasons for this: rejection of external involvement in African affairs especially by

Western powers The Western world, also known as the West, primarily refers to the various nations and states in the regions of Europe, North America, and Oceania.

; regaining its 'radical credentials' that were lost for South Africa's support of resolution 1973; South African policy on the Israel-Palestine issue; a perceived shift of global power by the South African government that emerging powers will "cover South Africa's political back"; South Africa's policy of applying equal regional and international pressure to solve regional problems; and the ANC's reliance on Gaddafi money and investments in South Africa.

Post-Gaddafi Libya

In the early days of the

National Transitional Council The National Transitional Council of Libya ( ar, المجلس الوطني الإنتقالي '), sometimes known as the Transitional National Council, was the ''de facto'' government of Libya for a period during and after the Libyan Civil War ...

(NTC) rule, South Africa, closely flowing movements by the African Union, was slow to recognise it as the legitimate government of Libya, only recognising the NTC in late September 2011, almost a month after most Western nations (as well as

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

) and around two weeks after countries like China and

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

. South Africa has been highly reluctant to unfreeze $1.5-billion in Libyan assets in South Africa. The South African government has also urged the NTC to protect African migrants in Libya following reports of abuse by anti-Gaddafi militia units.

References

Additional Sources

*McKaiser, Eusebius (August 21, 2011)
SA's response to the Libyan crisis: An analysis
Politics Web, South Africa. {{DEFAULTSORT:Libya-South Africa Relations

Bilateral relations of South Africa