Russia-South Africa Cooperation: from Missed Opportunities to Growth Potential

Longstanding, but not always simple relations between Russia and South Africa developed mainly in political and other spheres, but not in financial. The Soviet Union’s support for the national liberation struggle of the African people laid a solid base for trade and economic ties. Unfortunately with the destruction of the USSR foreign policy priority moved towards the EU and the USA.

Nowadays the European Union continues to play an important role in foreign trade with Russia. The EU’s share in the geographical structure of our country’s foreign trade amounted to 42,2% in 2017. But Western sanctions against Russia show that commitment to Eurocentrism is dangerous. This, in turn, prompted the Russian government to diversify its trade and economic directions.

Therefore the Russian business is trying to enter the South African market. But there it faces strong competition from Western and Chinese companies. Therefore the volume of trade and economic relations between Russia and South Africa remains at a low level. South Africa’s share in foreign trade with Russia is only 0,2% and occupies only 68th place in this indicator.

The success of domestic firms in South Africa depends on the knowledge of the specifics of doing business in South Africa, focus on long-term partnership and state support.

In this article the author analyzes the prospects of Russian-South African cooperation and offers the readers the possible mechanisms for strengthening bilateral ties.

Keywords

platinum group metals, natural resources, Business Council, Norilsk Nickel, Renova

Received

27.04.2019

Publication date

29.04.2019

Number of characters

18658

Cite

GOST	Obraztsova M. Russia-South Africa Cooperation: from Missed Opportunities to Growth Potential // Asia and Africa Today – 2019. – Issue 4 C. 64-69 [Electronic resource]. URL: https://asaf-today.ru/S032150750004386-6-1 (circulation date: 25.04.2024). DOI: 10.31857/S032150750004386-6
MLA	Obraztsova, Margarita "Russia-South Africa Cooperation: from Missed Opportunities to Growth Potential." Asia and Africa Today 4 (2019):64-69. DOI: 10.31857/S032150750004386-6
APA	Obraztsova M. (2019). Russia-South Africa Cooperation: from Missed Opportunities to Growth Potential. Asia and Africa Today (4), pp.64-69 DOI: 10.31857/S032150750004386-6

100 rub.

When subscribing to an article or issue, the user can download PDF, evaluate the publication or contact the author. Need to register.

Number of purchasers: 6, views: 2123

Readers community rating: votes 0

1. Petrakov M. K 25-letiyu ustanovleniya diplomaticheskikh otnoshenij Rossii i YuAR // Mezhdunarodnaya zhizn'. 2017. (Petrakov M. 2017. To 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and South Africa // International Affairs) (In Russ.) – https://interaffairs.ru/news/show/16955 (accessed 13.12.2018)

2. African National Congress Timeline 1960-1969 // South African History Online – https://www.sahistory.org.za/topic/african-national-congress-timeline-1960-1969 (accessed 12.12.2018)

3. Shubin V. Zachem Yuzhnoj Afrike BRIKS i zachem BRIKSu Yuzhnaya Afrika? // Indeks bezopasnosti. 2013, № 2 (105). (Shubin V. 2013. Why South Africa needs BRICS and why BRICS needs South Africa? // Security index. № 2 (105) (In Russ.)

4. Vasil'ev A., Korendyasov E. Rossijsko-afrikanskie otnosheniya cherez desyat' let: novyj start // Rossijskij sovet po mezhdunarodnym delam. (Vasilyev A., Korendyasov E. Russian-African relations in ten years time: a new start) (In Russ.) – http://russiancouncil.ru/analytics-and-comments/analytics/rossiysko-afrikanskie-otnosheniya-cherez-desyat-letnovyy-st/ (accessed 13.12.2018)

5. Rossijskij Tsentr vneshnej torgovli // Geograficheskaya struktura ehksporta i importa Rossii v 1998 g. (Russian National Trade Point // Geographic structure of exports and imports of Russia in 1998) (In Russ.) - https://www.rusimpex.ru/index7.htm (accessed 25.11.2018)

6. Torgovo-ehkonomicheskie otnosheniya Rossijskoj Federatsii s Yuzhno-Afrikanskoj Respublikoj. (Trade and economic relations of the Russian Federation with the Republic of South Africa) (In Russ.) – http://www.mid.ru/ru/maps/za/-/asset_publisher/mNKyBR4ugevQ/content/id/548482 (accessed 20.10.2018)

7. Vesti. Ehkonomika // Profitsit vneshnej torgovli RF vyros v 2017 g. na 25%. (News. Economy // Russia’s foreign trade surplus increased by 25% in 2017) (In Russ.) – https://www.vestifinance.ru/articles/97401 (accessed 28.10.2018)

8. Statistika vneshnej torgovli. Po dannym FTS Rossii // Tovarooborot mezhdu Rossiej i Yuzhnoj Afrikoj. (Russia: foreign trade statistics. According to the FCS of Russia // Trade between Russia and South Africa) (In Russ.) – http://ru-stat.com/date-Y2013-2018/RU/trade/ZA (accessed 15.11.2018)

9. Kobylkin: tovarooborot mezhdu Rossiej i YuAR za 9 mesyatsev 2018 goda vyros na 26% // TASS. 21.11.2018. (Kobylkin: trade between Russia and South Africa for 9 months of 2018 increased by 26% // TASS. 21.11.2018) (In Russ.) – https://tass.ru/ekonomika/5817198 (accessed 25.11.2018)

10. O sotrudnichestve s YuAR po linii TPP Rossii. (About cooperation with the South Africa in the framework of the CCI of Russia) (In Russ.) – https://tpprf.ru/ru/vneshnie-svyazy/bilateral_cooperation/countries/africa/rsa/ccirfrsacoop/ (accessed 14.12.2018).

11. Sotrudnichestvo stran BRIKS: Rossiya i YuAR. (The cooperation of BRICS countries: Russia and South Africa) (In Russ.) – https://wtcmoscow.ru/services/international-partnership/analitycs/sotrudnichestvo-stran-briks-rossiya-i-yuar/ (accessed 14.12.2018)

12. United Manganese of Kalahari – http://umk.co.za/about_us.html (accessed 2.12.2018)

13. Iron Mineral Beneficiation Services – https://www.imbsworld.com/about.htm (accessed 5.11.2018)