South Africa on Monday confirmed it has accepted Brent Bozell as the new United States ambassador, despite strained relations between Pretoria and US President Donald Trump’s administration.
An official in the Department of International Relations and Cooperation told AFP that the government had “accepted” Bozell, a conservative media critic known for his strong support of Israel. The official added that an accreditation ceremony with President Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to take place in April.
Relations between the two countries have been tense over several policy issues. South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and Pretoria’s diplomatic posture toward Russia, China and Iran have drawn criticism from Washington. In March, the US expelled South Africa’s ambassador amid the diplomatic fallout.
A US State Department official said Bozell “looks forward to taking up his post and representing America First foreign policy.”
President Trump nominated Bozell in March, describing him as bringing “fearless tenacity, extraordinary experience, and vast knowledge to a nation that desperately needs it.”
During his Senate confirmation hearing in October, Bozell said he would press South Africa to withdraw its genocide case against Israel and would “communicate our objections to South Africa’s geostrategic drift,” referencing its ties with Russia, China and Iran, including joint naval exercises conducted in January.
He also told US senators that he would promote Trump’s offer of refugee status to members of the white Afrikaner minority, echoing claims by the US administration that white South Africans face discrimination under the post-apartheid government.
The development marks a new phase in diplomatic engagement between the two countries amid ongoing disagreements over foreign policy and domestic issues.