Series Foreword

At the time of this foreword being written, the Republic of South Africa and the Kingdom of Denmark share an ardent and mutually beneficial bilateral relationship consisting of 39 bilateral and multilateral agreements (the most out of all the Nordic states who maintain an embassy in Pretoria) spanning development cooperation, implementation of the recommendations of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the development of legislation in the area of biodiversity, education, science and technology, agriculture, climate change and most recently sustainable futures.1 The wealth and depth of the South Africa-Denmark partnership stem from Denmark’s support for South Africa’s Liberation Struggle and democratic transition, which solidified a special relationship between the two countries. Indeed, former South African President Nelson Mandela reflected fondly on Danish contributions to the Liberation Struggle when he addressed the Danish Parliament on 16 March 1999, when he remarked, “Denmark was in the forefront of that legion.” 2