Judging by the pictures posted on social media by the South African embassy in Washington, ambassador Roelf Meyer received a warm welcome when he presented his credentials to US President Donald Trump at the White House last week.
In one of the pictures, the two are seen smiling for the cameras as they display the document formally announcing Meyer as President Cyril Ramaphosa’s envoy to the US.
It is a good start for both countries as they seek to reset a relationship that has lately been characterised by tensions and misinformation.
It suggested that, despite scepticism in many local quarters, Ramaphosa may have played his cards right by sending Meyer to Washington at a time when, judging by some of Trump’s public utterances, it seemed SA was no longer allowed to set foot in the White House.
But it would be a mistake to assume that this marks an end to disagreements between the two countries.
There are a couple of serious geopolitical issues where the two countries cannot find each other.
And that should be fine. After all, as it is often said, international relations is more about interests than friendships.
What matters most, therefore, is that both Pretoria and Washington have reopened quick channels of communication with the appointment of ambassadors in both capitals.
The US remains an important trading partner for SA and the country needs to do everything possible to harness the partnership.
On its part, the US still recognises SA as a strategic power to have on side if it is to maintain strong ties with the African continent.
Meyer’s task in Washington would be to ensure that the channels of communication are always kept open and that both the White House and the Union Buildings do not forget why they need each other.
He may not succeed in dissuading Trump from believing the damaging misinformation about “white genocide” that gets fed to him by fringe right-wing groups.
He may not be able to stop those random social media posts in which the US head of state attacks SA unprovoked.
But at least Meyer would always be there to remind the US government and American citizens of the truth.
