Ireland–South Africa relations as premature. The Irish embassy opened in Pretoria in 1994. From the early 1960s Ireland vehemently opposed apartheid in South Africa. South African Nelson Mandela, then a dissident, later president, was awarded the Freedom of the City of Dublin in 1988 while a political prisoner; he collected the award upon his release in 1990. Diplomatic ties between the two countries were established in 1994. In November 2003, Brian Cowen, while touring Africa as Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, promised South African President Thabo Mbeki that Ireland would highlight African problems when it ascended to the Council Presidency of the European
Botswana–South Africa relations President Ronald Reagan. In 1986, President Quett Masire of Botswana said that South Africa's black neighbours would suffer most if Western countries imposed economic sanctions on South Africa. He said "Obviously we can't prohibit the West from imposing sanctions on South Africa and we welcome every form of pressure on the apartheid regime." Relations between South Africa and Botswana were formalised with the establishment of representative offices in both countries in 1992. The upgrading of relations to full diplomatic level came into force on 22 June 1994. The two countries enjoyed good relations during the presidencies of Thabo Mbeki and