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Member state

South Africa at the United Nations

Flag of South Africa
Flag of South Africa.svg by Flag design by Frederick Brownell, image by Wikimedia Commons users (Public domain) — Wikimedia Commons
Admitted
1961-05-31
ISO 3166-1
ZA / ZAF
Charter signed
1945-06-26
Charter ratified
1945-11-07
Formerly
Union of South Africa, until 31 May 1961

A founding Member State: one of the fifty-one that signed the Charter at San Francisco in 1945.

International organisations

Every organisation this state belongs to that is compiled here, with the date it joined. Membership is resolved against this site’s own list of member states rather than taken from a query.

OrganisationJoined
International Telecommunication Union 1910-01-01
Commonwealth of Nations 1931-12-11
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development 1945-12-27
World Meteorological Organization 1950-01-17
United Nations 1961-05-31
African Union 1994-06-06
Universal Postal Union 1994-08-22
World Trade Organization 1995-01-01
World Health Organization not recorded
Southern African Development Community not recorded

Peacekeeping contribution

Uniformed personnel this state had deployed to UN missions in 2026-07-31, the most recent month the UN Peace and Security Data Hub reports. Counts are deployments, not distinct people.

PersonnelDeployedOf whom women
Troops 39 11
Individual Police 21 15
Staff Officer 12 3
Experts on Mission 1 0

Every contributor, month by month

Position in General Assembly voting

A statistical estimate of where this state sat on the main axis of General Assembly voting, not a record of any vote. The range is what the model treats as credible; neither end of the scale is the better one.

YearEstimate Credible rangeVotes cast
2025 -0.37 -0.58 to -0.17 191
2024 -0.42 -0.57 to -0.26 108
2023 -0.55 -0.73 to -0.37 85
2022 -0.51 -0.69 to -0.34 87
2021 -0.38 -0.58 to -0.20 84
2020 -0.35 -0.55 to -0.16 96

Every state's position

People of concern

As recorded by UNHCR’s Refugee Data Finder for 2025 — UNHCR’s own reporting categories, not a census.

CategoryPeople
Refugees hosted 55,177
Asylum-seekers hosted 82,358
Refugees from South Africa abroad 1,319

Population projection

United Nations World Population Prospects, median variant — a projection, not a count.

202520302035204020452050
64,747,31968,161,35971,234,75274,035,62476,681,45079,177,328

Service on principal organs

Elected terms as recorded by the Dag Hammarskjöld Library. A year marked pending is one the Library publishes as a partial list because its elections have not yet been held.

Economic and Social Council

2027 pending 2026 2025 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2007 2006 2005 2003 2002 2001 1997 1996 1995

Human Rights Council

2028 pending 2027 pending 2026 2025 2024 2023 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2009 2008 2007 2006

Security Council

2020 2019 2012 2011 2008 2007

Permanent representatives

2 recorded. Full list

NameFromTo
Jackie Selebi 19951998
Nozipho Mxakato-Diseko -in office / not recorded

Permanent mission

Mission
Permanent Mission of South Africa to the United Nations
Address
Permanent Mission of the Republic of South Africa to the United Nations, 845 Third Avenue, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10022
National holiday
Freedom Day, 27 April
Accredited diplomats
8

Accredited diplomats

The numbers

IndicatorLatestYearSince 1980
Adult literacy rate 91.15 2024
CO2 emissions per capita 6.877 2024
GDP 427,184,325,997 2025
GNI per capita 6,270 2025
Life expectancy at birth 66.31 2024
Military expenditure (% of GDP) 0.7002 2024
Net official development assistance received 1,506,946,411 2023
Population 64,747,319 2025
Refugees hosted (UNHCR mandate) 55,177 2025
Refugees originating (UNHCR mandate) 1,319 2025

World Bank, World Development Indicators, CC BY 4.0. The sparkline shows the shape of each run from its first reported year; the number beside it carries the magnitude, and there is deliberately no axis on it.

General Debate statements

56 statements to the General Debate since 1947, 168,372 words in all. The longest was 1962, at 9,354 words, delivered by Mr. LOUW.

Of the 31 statements since 1994 whose speaker’s post the record gives: President ×23, Minister for Foreign Affairs ×6, Minister of Foreign Affairs ×1, Minister for International Relations and Cooperation ×1. Earlier years are excluded because UN records do not consistently identify a speaker’s post before 1994, and counting those years as though they did would make any state look as though it sent nobody senior.

2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1973 1972 1971 1970 1968 1967 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947

Emblems and location

Coat of arms of South Africa
Coat of arms. Coat of arms of South Africa (heraldic).svg by Echando una mano (CC BY-SA) — Wikimedia Commons
Location of South Africa
Location. LocationSouthAfrica.svg by Rei-artur (CC BY-SA) — Wikimedia Commons

Treaties joined

77 actions recorded by the Secretary-General as depositary. Only treaties whose participant counts match the depositary’s own stated totals contribute rows.

TreatySignedRatified or acceded
Charter of the United Nations - 7 Nov 1945
Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations - 30 Aug 2002 a
Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the Specialized Agencies - 30 Aug 2002 a
Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 28 Mar 1962 21 Aug 1989
Vienna Convention on Consular Relations - 21 Aug 1989 a
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide - 10 Dec 1998 a
Convention on the Rights of the Child 29 Jan 1993 16 Jun 1995
Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty - 28 Aug 2002 a
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 30 Mar 2007 30 Nov 2007
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance - 14 May 2024 a
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination 3 Oct 1994 10 Dec 1998
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 3 Oct 1994 12 Jan 2015
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 3 Oct 1994 10 Dec 1998
Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights - 28 Aug 2002 a
International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid - 14 May 2024 a
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women 29 Jan 1993 15 Dec 1995
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 29 Jan 1993 10 Dec 1998
Constitution of the World Health Organization 22 Jul 1946 7 Aug 1947 A
Protocol concerning the Office international d'hygiène publique 22 Jul 1946 19 Mar 1948 A
WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control 16 Jun 2003 19 Apr 2005
Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees - 12 Jan 1996 a
Protocol amending the Agreements, Conventions and Protocols on Narcotic Drugs, concluded at The Hague on 23 January 1912, at Geneva on 11 February 1925 and 19 February 1925, and 13 July 1931, at Bangkok on 27 November 1931 and at Geneva on 26 June 1936 15 Dec 1946 24 Feb 1948 A
Protocol Bringing under International Control Drugs Outside the Scope of the Convention of 13 July 1931 for Limiting the Manufacture and Regulating the Distribution of Narcotic Drugs, as amended by the Protocol signed at Lake Success, New York, on 11 December 1946 - 8 Dec 1948 s
Protocol for Limiting and Regulating the Cultivation of the Poppy Plant, the Production of, International and Wholesale Trade in, and use of Opium 29 Dec 1953 9 Mar 1960
Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961 - 16 Nov 1971 a
Convention on psychotropic substances - 27 Jan 1972 a
Protocol amending the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961 25 Mar 1972 16 Dec 1975
United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances - 14 Dec 1998 a
Protocol signed at Lake Success, New York, on 12 November 1947, to amend the Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Women and Children, concluded at Geneva on 30 September 1921, and the Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Women of Full Age, concluded at Geneva on 11 October 1933 - 12 Nov 1947 s
Protocol amending the International Agreement for the Suppression of the White Slave Traffic, signed at Paris on 18 May 1904, and the International Convention for the Suppression of the White Slave Traffic, signed at Paris on 4 May 1910 - 14 Aug 1951 A
Protocol to amend the Convention for the suppression of the circulation of, and traffic in, obscene publications, concluded at Geneva on 12 September 1923 - 12 Nov 1947 s
Protocol amending the Agreement for the Suppression of the Circulation of Obscene Publications, signed at Paris, on 4 May 1910 - 1 Sep 1950 s
Agreement to establish the South Centre 3 Oct 1994 25 Aug 1998
Agreement establishing the International Fund for Agricultural Development - 14 Feb 1997 a
Constitution of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization - 24 Oct 2000 a
International Convention on the Harmonization of Frontier Controls of Goods - 24 Feb 1987 a
Agreement concerning the adoption of harmonized technical United Nations Regulations for wheeled vehicles, equipment and parts which can be fitted and/or be used on wheeled vehicles and the conditions for reciprocal recognition of approvals granted on the basis of these United Nations Regulations - 18 Apr 2001 a
Protocol concerning countries or territories at present occupied 19 Sep 1949 9 Jul 1952
Agreement concerning the Establishing of Global Technical Regulations for Wheeled Vehicles, Equipment and Parts which can be fitted and/or be used on Wheeled Vehicles 14 Jun 2000 18 Apr 2001
Convention on the International Maritime Organization - 28 Feb 1995 A
Protocol amending the International Convention relating to Economic Statistics, signed at Geneva on 14 December 1928 - 10 Dec 1948 s
Statutes of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology - 6 Feb 2004 a
International Sugar Agreement, 1992 22 Dec 1992 22 Dec 1992
Convention on the Political Rights of Women 29 Jan 1993 -
Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages - 29 Jan 1993 a
Protocol amending the Slavery Convention signed at Geneva on 25 September 1926 - 29 Dec 1953 s
Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court 17 Jul 1998 27 Nov 2000
International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism 10 Nov 2001 1 May 2003
United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime 14 Dec 2000 20 Feb 2004
United Nations Convention against Corruption 9 Dec 2003 22 Nov 2004
United Nations Convention against Cybercrime; Strengthening International Cooperation for Combating Certain Crimes Committed by Means of Information and Communications Technology Systems and for the Sharing of Evidence in Electronic Form of Serious Crimes 25 Oct 2025 -
International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages - 23 Sep 2003 a
Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Internationally Protected Persons, including Diplomatic Agents - 23 Sep 2003 a
International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings 21 Dec 1999 1 May 2003
Convention on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone - 9 Apr 1963 a
Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction 9 Jun 2025 -
Convention on the High Seas - 9 Apr 1963 a
Convention on Fishing and Conservation of the Living Resources of the High Seas - 9 Apr 1963 a
Convention on the Continental Shelf - 9 Apr 1963 a
Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks - 14 Aug 2003 a
Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards - 3 May 1976 a
Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons which may be deemed to be Excessively Injurious or to have Indiscriminate Effects (with Protocols I, II and III) - 13 Sep 1995 a
Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction 14 Jan 1993 13 Sep 1995
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty 24 Sep 1996 30 Mar 1999
Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction 3 Dec 1997 26 Jun 1998
Convention on Cluster Munitions 3 Dec 2008 28 May 2015
Arms Trade Treaty 25 Sep 2013 22 Dec 2014
Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons 20 Sep 2017 25 Feb 2019
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa 9 Jan 1995 30 Sep 1997
Lusaka Agreement on Co-operative Enforcement Operations Directed at Illegal Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora 9 Sep 1994 -
Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses 13 Aug 1997 26 Oct 1998
Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade - 4 Sep 2002 a
Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants 23 May 2001 4 Sep 2002
Minamata Convention on Mercury 10 Oct 2013 29 Apr 2019
Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer - 15 Jan 1990 a
Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal - 5 May 1994 a
Convention on Biological Diversity 4 Jun 1993 2 Nov 1995

Recorded votes

ResolutionDateVote
A/RES/80/290 2026-07-10 yes
A/RES/80/282 - yes
A/RES/80/286 - yes
A/RES/80/296 - yes
A/RES/80/293 B - yes
A/RES/80/294 - yes
A/RES/80/293 A - yes
A/RES/80/297 - yes
A/RES/80/299 - yes

Provenance

Every fact on this page, with where it came from and how sure we are.

AttributeValueSourceConfidenceFetched
iso2ZA wikidata 1.02026-10-12T02:20:06.567339+00:00
iso3ZAF wikidata 1.02026-10-12T02:20:06.567346+00:00
m49710 un_sdg 1.02026-10-12T02:20:11.771588+00:00
nameSouth Africa wikidata 1.02026-10-12T02:20:06.567327+00:00
un_admission_date1961-05-31 wikidata 1.02026-10-12T02:20:06.567333+00:00
unsd_nameSouth Africa un_sdg 1.02026-10-12T02:20:11.771594+00:00

Where this page comes from