Hillary Clinton in South Africa: Unpacking US-South Africa Relations

The report examines the US-South Africa Strategic Dialogue, highlighting strong trade ties through AGOA and cooperation in defense and non-proliferation. It notes tensions regarding Iranian oil imports and South Africa's role in BRICS, while emphasizing continued partnership in health and nuclear energy.

• The US is South Africa's largest export destination, with imports from South Africa reaching US$9.5 billion in 2011, a 15.7 percent increase from 2010. A significant portion of these imports, US$4.6 billion, entered duty-free under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
• Defense and security cooperation is robust, characterized by frequent bilateral visits and joint military exercises such as the 2012 'SOUTHERN ACCORD' conducted via AFRICOM to train forces for peacekeeping operations in sub-Saharan Africa.
• The two nations cooperate on non-proliferation and nuclear energy, including the 2009 Treaty of Pelindaba to create a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Africa and a 2009 bilateral agreement on nuclear energy research and development.
• Diplomatic tensions exist due to South Africa's continued import of Iranian crude oil—which accounts for about a quarter of its oil supply—despite US sanctions, and South Africa's membership in BRICS, which the US views as a potential challenge to its global stature.
• The US has provided over US$3.1 billion to South Africa between 2004 and 2011 through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to combat HIV/AIDS and TB.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2012). Hillary Clinton in South Africa: Unpacking US-South Africa Relations. https://saiia.org.za/research/special-report-hillary-clinton-in-south-africa-unpacking-us-south-africa-relations/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Hillary Clinton in South Africa: Unpacking US-South Africa Relations. 2012. https://saiia.org.za/research/special-report-hillary-clinton-in-south-africa-unpacking-us-south-africa-relations/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Hillary Clinton in South Africa: Unpacking US-South Africa Relations |date=31 July 2012 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/special-report-hillary-clinton-in-south-africa-unpacking-us-south-africa-relations/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2012hillary, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Hillary Clinton in South Africa: Unpacking US-South Africa Relations}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2012}, month = jul, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/special-report-hillary-clinton-in-south-africa-unpacking-us-south-africa-relations/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }