Canada-South Africa relations
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Bilateral relations
Canada established diplomatic relations with South Africa in 1939. In South Africa, Canada maintains a High Commission in Pretoria which is concurrently accredited to Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius and Namibia, a trade office in Johannesburg, and an honorary consul in Cape Town. In Canada, South Africa maintains a High Commission in Ottawa, a Consulate General in Toronto, and has honorary consuls in Vancouver and Sudbury.
Canada and South Africa maintain a broad relationship based on shared values of democracy, security and prosperity. Canada’s anti-apartheid efforts within the Commonwealth in the 1980s and our support towards the establishment of a multi-ethnic, multi-racial, democratic society in South Africa strengthened the ties between both countries. Canadian and South African experts worked closely together in drafting South Africa’s first democratic constitution.
In 2001, Nelson Mandela became the first living person to be awarded honorary Canadian citizenship, which was bestowed in recognition of his leadership in the fight against apartheid and his efforts to build democracy in South Africa.
Canada and South Africa are both members of a number of multilateral organizations, including the Commonwealth and the G20, and collaborate on important issues such as women’s empowerment, the environment and climate action, and regional security. Canada and South Africa hold strategic annual bilateral consultations, which cover issues such as foreign policy, trade and investment, environment and climate change, education, culture as well as science, technology and innovation.
Canada-South Africa relations are characterized by extensive and enduring ties, including in the arts, education, and scientific research. Many Canadians recall with appreciation the extensive support that South African firefighters provide during Canadian wildfire seasons dating back to 2015.
Examples of projects in which Canada has made significant investments include:
- Through the World Health Organization, Canada invested $45 million in the mRNA Technology Transfer Hub in Cape Town.
- In June 2024, Canada became a member of the Square Kilometre Array Observatory and announced an investment of $269 million over eight years, ensuring Canadian astronomers have access to facilities in South Africa and Australia.
Trade relations
As one of Africa’s most diversified and largest economies, South Africa is a prime destination for Canadian goods and services on the continent. In 2024, two-way merchandise trade between both countries totaled $2.91 billion, consisting of $582.3 million in exports from Canada, and $2.3 billion in imports from South Africa. Bilateral trade in services is growing rapidly. There was $713 million in two-way services trade with South Africa in 2023. Services exports were $336.9 million in 2023, up 19.6% from 2022, led by commercial services. Services imports were $377 million in 2023, up 40.7% from 2022, and led by transportation and government services.
Canada is a significant investor in South Africa. In 2024, the Canadian direct investment position in South Africa was $523 million. The direct investment position from South Africa in Canada was $1.87B, up from $37 million in 2023. The direct investment by South Africa accounted for 0.12% of the total direct investment in Canada. Canadian investments focus on the mineral and mining sector, as well as transportation, food processing, hospitality, creative industries and information and communication technologies. Canada and South Africa also have a history of cultural cooperation – South Africa’s first Audiovisual Co-Production Agreement was with Canada in 1997, which was renewed in 2024.
Trade and investment between Canada and South Africa are facilitated by several agreements, including a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in mining and mineral development and a double taxation agreement.
In 2015, Export Development Canada opened its permanent office in Johannesburg to provide Canadian companies with trade finance, risk management solutions, and market expertise, helping them connect with business opportunities across sub-Saharan Africa.
Development
South Africa is an upper middle-income country. In 2023-24, Canada provided $165 million in international assistance to South Africa, largely driven by major investments in the Just Energy Transition (JET) aimed at reducing coal dependence and expanding clean energy. This shared priority supports South Africa’s socioeconomic transformation, advances Canada’s climate finance goals, and creates opportunities for Canadian companies in renewable energy, cleantech, and infrastructure.
Canada’s JET investments include a $120M sovereign loan and technical assistance to strengthen social protection and employment programs, alongside contributions to multilateral climate and development initiatives, including the Climate Investment Funds’ Accelerating Coal Transition Program. Canada is providing support to advance women’s leadership and participation in coal transitions and targeted co-financing, in partnership with the World Bank, to decommission a coal-fired power plant (Komati) in South Africa and repurpose it into a renewable energy facility.
Canada has a dedicated bilateral assistance program, providing approximately $5 million annually in support for inclusive governance, youth economic empowerment, gender equality, and human rights. In governance, Canada is helping strengthen the South African government's ability to deliver public services more effectively, transparently, and equitably. To support youth economic empowerment, Canada is funding initiatives to enhance the capacity of 15 technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges. To advance gender equality, Canada is supporting local women’s rights organizations through the Renewed Women’s Voice and Leadership program.
The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) provides support to local organizations contributing to the achievement of Canada’s priorities for international assistance, with special emphasis on advancing democracy, protecting and promoting human rights, and ensuring security and stability. Since 2020, the CFLI has funded more than 30 small-scale, high-impact projects in South Africa, totaling over $1 million in contributions.
Partnerships and organizations
To develop effective responses to today’s most pressing global challenges, Canada and South Africa work closely in multilateral fora, such as:
- Commonwealth
- G20
- International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
- International Criminal Court (ICC)
- Open Government Partnership (OGP)
- United Nations (UN)
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- World Trade Organization (WTO)
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