South Africa and India ramped up their political and trade ties in 2021 and the coronavirus crisis presented an opportunity to the two countries to extend cooperation in fighting the deadly pandemic. The two leaders also discussed possibilities of collaboration between India and South Africa in various international platforms, to facilitate access and affordability of vaccines and medicines. A week before the two leaders’ conversation, made-in-India vaccines had reached South Africa in an aircraft with President Ramaphosa receiving the consignment of doses. On the domestic front, South Africa saw arson attacks in mid-July following the jailing of former president Jacob Zuma. The Indian missions across South Africa launched scaled-down celebrations of India’s 75th anniversary of independence this year, with lockdown restrictions reducing numbers.

Source: The North Africa Journal December 25, 2021 10:03 UTC