Bilateral Relations

Relations between South Africa and Belgium

Historical background

The relations between a part of the present South Africa and Belgium were established in 1875 during a visit of President Thomas Francois Burgers of the South African Republic (Old Transvaal Boer Republic) to Europe. In a letter of 11 February 1876 President Burgers made formal application to the Court of King Leopold II for acceptance of a representative, and four days later the Royal Exequatur was issued. Simultaneously a Brussels advocate, Gustave Biebuyck, was appointed as Consul. His major mission was implementation of a trade agreement, which was concluded simultaneously, and he was instructed to supervise the conclusion of an order for the delivery of a railway line between Pretoria and Delagoa Bay.

After many problems, (especially regarding the railway where both German and Dutch interests were at stake), compounded by local rivalries for the post, on 12 June 1889 a Consul-General was appointed in the person of Mr AG van Deth, a Brussels merchant. He served in this capacity until obliged on 20 January 1903 by the terms of the Treaty of Vereeniging, to close the Consulate, after which Great Britain handled consular and diplomatic affairs.

The next era started after Union in 1910 with the establishment of Belgian/South African diplomatic relations handled by the British representative in Belgium.

Only in 1934 were direct relations established between Belgium and the Union, when Dr HD van Broekhuyzen, accredited at that time in the Netherlands, was also appointed as representative to Belgium.

On 27 February 1939 Mr GP Jooste was appointed Chargé d'Affaires en titre in Brussels and thus for the first time there was a representative of the Union of South Africa based in Brussels.

During the Second World War representation was handled from London. After the War representation in Belgium was handled from The Hague.

Dr PR Botha was appointed in 1949, resident in Brussels and for the first time ambassadorial status was given to the post. He stayed in Brussels until 1955.

In the intervening period diplomatic relations were also established with the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and the South African Ambassador in Brussels is now also simultaneously accredited to Luxembourg on a non-residential basis. The Ambassador to Belgium was also accredited as the Ambassador to the European Communities from 1 July 1963 to 15 July 1971.

In 1971 a separate South African Mission to the European Communities (now European Union) was established with the specific purpose of representing South Africa's interests with the European Union. On 26 July 1971 Ambassador WC Naudé was accredited as Head of Mission to the European Communities. He was succeeded by a series of Ambassadors until Dr E Links was appointed as Head of the South African Mission to the European Union, in mid-1996.Relations between Belgium and South Africa during the 1980s were strained due to the internal political situation in South Africa.

Relations post 1994

The Embassy merged again in 1998. The Apartheid policies of the South African Government in the 1980s caused strain in relations. However, the changes in South Africa from 2 February 1990 brought about an easing of this tension and permitted a visit to Brussels by President FW de Klerk during May 1990. During the period of the negotiations leading to the adoption of the Interim (1994 - 96) Constitution, relations showed a consistent positive growth. Since April 1994 a new era has dawned in relations between the two countries, President Mbeki and Prime Minister Verhofstadt met each other twice during 2001 and numerous Ministers, including both Foreign Ministers, have visited the two countries to further consolidate relations.

This relationship has not only manifested itself in the growing closer bilateral ties between the two countries but also in regular dialogue and co-operation on global issues such as the World Conference Against Racism (WCAR) [Belgium was the first EU member state to promulgate anti-discrimination legislation after the Conference] and the World Summit on Sustainable Development  (WSSD).

The first meeting of the Joint Commission between South Africa and the Kingdom of Belgium was held successfully on 10 November 2006, in Brussels, thus implementing the Joint Declaration signed between the two countries during the official visit of President T. Mbeki to Belgium in November 2004. The Second Meeting of the JC was held in October 2007.

 Trade and Investment

 Regarding economic relations, in recent years Belgium has remained South Africa’s 6th largest trading partner, and 8th fastest growing export destination. According to South African trade statistics for 2005, South African exports were valued at R8, 97 billion and imports from Belgium at R4, 77 billion. Main export products from South Africa to Belgium include rough diamonds, iron, fresh fruit, bituminous coal, other ores; and manganese dioxide. Value-added exports primarily include automotive components, catalytic converters, as well as transport containers and parts and accessories thereof.

Belgium is among the top ten investors from the European Union in South Africa.

Relations between South Africa and Flanders

 The first SA/ Flanders Joint Commission was held in Pretoria in August 2001, during which an indicative programme for development cooperation for the period 2001-2005 was agreed. In 2002, Flanders and South Africa signed a General Co-operation Agreement. The annual follow-up meetings of the Joint Commission took place in Brussels in 2003, in Pretoria 2005 and in Brussels in 2007 where the projects, currently underway, were discussed and new projects were approved. Flanders funds national as well as provincial projects, the latter in Limpopo, Free State and Kwazulu Natal.

Multilateral Relations

South Africa - European Union Relations

Building on shared values and mutual interests, South Africa and the EU have developed a comprehensive partnership based on the Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement (TDCA), which was signed in 1999.  The partnership is built on five pillars: trade, political dialogue, development co-operation, economic co-operation as well as co-operation in other areas. South Africa and the EU agreed at the 2005 Joint Co-operation Council (JCC) to build on the strong and productive relations by working towards a strategic partnership based on an open and concrete dialogue, pursued on the basis of mutual understanding and ownership of the process. Consequently, the Joint Action Plan for the SA-EU Strategic Partnership was adopted on 14 May 2007.  

The Joint Action Plan for the SA-EU Strategic Partnership builds on the framework of the TDCA and significantly enhances existing cooperation, including most notably at summit level, on issues of mutual interest at bilateral, regional, continental and global level. One of the guiding principles for the Strategic Partnership is that it must support South Africa's national, regional and African policies and programmes to eradicate poverty and underdevelopment.  

South Africa also relates with the EU on a regional, continental as well as global level. The Berlin Initiative, established in 2004 serves as a structure for enhanced political dialogue between the SADC and the EU, with a view to contribute to peace, democracy and sustainable development in the SADC region. At a continental level, the interaction between the EU and Africa is guided by the Joint Africa-EU Strategy. South Africa is also a qualified member of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States which has a partnership with the EU under the Cotonou Partnership Agreement.  

The Science and Technology Agreement between South Africa and the EU was signed in November 1997. 

Trade relations 

The European Union is South Africa’s largest trading partner, accounting for 40% of  South Africa’s imports and 30% of exports.  In 2006, South Africa’s imports from the EU amounted to R154bn while exports came to R124bn. On the other hand, South Africa is the EU's 15th largest trading partner.  

According to the South African Reserve Bank data, foreign direct investment flows from the EU in 2006 amounted to R512.416 billion (excluding portfolio investment), which also makes the EU, South Africa’s largest investment partner.

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Last modified: Thursday November 19, 2009