South African President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Roelf Meyer as the country's next ambassador to the United States, signaling a potential thaw in bilateral relations and a return to formal diplomatic engagement between the two countries.

Meyer's appointment comes more than a year after South Africa went without diplomatic representation in Washington, D.C., following the expulsion of former ambassador Ebrahim Rasool in March last year. Rasool's removal followed criticism of US policies under President Donald Trump.

Relations between Pretoria and Washington had already been strained by Trump-era policies. These included freezing foreign aid to South Africa and creating a refugee program for white South Africans. Tensions were further fueled by South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in which it accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.

Meyer, 78, is widely regarded as an experienced negotiator who played a key role in South Africa's transition to democracy in the early 1990s. 

Following the release of Nelson Mandela and the unbanning of liberation movements in 1990, he participated in the landmark Groote Schuur talks between the apartheid-era government and the African National Congress, an early step toward ending apartheid.

The 78-year-old is expected to assume his post in Washington once diplomatic protocols are complete, marking a new chapter in the United States–South Africa relationship.

(Story compiled with input from agencies)