South Africa names apartheid-era negotiator as ambassador to US

The Guardian World News
by Rachel Savage in Johannesburg
April 15, 2026
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2 min read

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South Africa appointed apartheid-era negotiator Roelf Meyer as ambassador to the US to improve relations.

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South Africa has appointed Roelf Meyer, an apartheid-era negotiator, as its new ambassador to the United States. This appointment is viewed as an effort to improve the strained diplomatic relationship between the two nations. The move comes amid what South Africa considers "false US accusations of ‘white genocide’" against it. Meyer replaces Ebrahim Rasool, who was expelled in March 2025 after criticizing the Trump administration. His background as a chief negotiator during the talks that ended white rule in the 1990s highlights the significance of this diplomatic choice.

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