In an aim to strengthen bilateral relations, Prime Minis Philip Davis reached out via telephone to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on 5 May, 2022 in a call at 11am.
Present for the meeting was Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell.
Prime Minister Davis stated that it was his intent to nurture a warm relationship between The Bahamas and South Africa and to rekindle the shared alliance and comradery shared between the two nations in the past.
Davis noted that South Africa and The Bahamas shared a friendly and warm history in years past; He stated that this was first evident with the role played by former Prime Minister Lynden Pindling in the abolishment of the Apartheid regime in being part of the political pressure from the international community which led to the release and political rise of Nelson Mandela. He also noted that The Bahamas was one of the first places Mr. Mandela visited after being sworn into office as the first post-apartheid president of South Africa.
Prime Minister Davis also indicated that former Prime Minister Perry Christie also worked very closely with President Thabo Mbeki on the unrest in Haiti which soon after led Jean-Bertrand Aristide to vacate office in 2004.
Both leaders stated that they were both looking forward to meeting in person and having further discussions at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in June.