Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra was in South Africa on Monday 13 February. He met his counterpart Naledi Pandor there to discuss relations between these two allied countries and a future visit by the South African president to Algeria.
Bonds of “brotherhood” and “solidarity” hailed by the South African minister. “A special relationship” highlighted by the representative of Algeria, the atmosphere was very friendly during this meeting in Pretoria. It must be said that the two countries share “a strong history”, as recalled by Naledi Pandor. During the apartheid era, Algiers supported the ANC in its struggle and even welcomed Nelson Mandela for military training.
Strategic links
On the other hand, the links today are above all strategic: these two partners expect to revive the non-alignment movement, and agree on a more or less neutral position with regard to the war in Ukraine. For Algeria, it is a question of strengthening its relations with its allies, while the country is at odds with Paris, and takes a dim view of the accession to the head of the African Union of the President of Comoros, close to Morocco.
weight friend
Pretoria will also be a strong friend in the context of an application to join the BRICS. On the Western Sahara issue, South Africa also remains a lifelong supporter of the Polisario Front, alongside Algiers. President Cyril Ramaphosa also received his leader, Brahim Ghali, in October 2022.