South Africa has assured its full support to India on issues it deems important during the impending meetings of the IAEA Board of Governors and Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). South African President Thabo Mbeki voiced his support to Anand Sharma, Minister of State for External Affairs, when the two met in Pretoria recently.  

In the capacity of a special envoy, Anand Sharma is currently on a four nation tour of the African nations in order to collect support on the Indo-US nuclear initiative. Sharma even presented the South African President a letter from Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

India shares a strong bonding with South Africa and even in present times there is multi-sectoral strategic partnership between the two countries. An official statement issued in this regard informed that Thabo Mbeki assured Anand Kumar of his country’s full ‘support and complete understanding of India's quest for energy security.’

The Board of Governors of the IAEA are scheduled to meet in Vienna on August 1, 2008 to consider clearance of the safeguards agreement, after which the 45-nation NSG is expected to meet to consider grant of waiver to India for conducting trade in nuclear field. Sharma also toured Ghana, Nigeria and Ethiopia earlier.