Pretoria - South Africa hosts the second largest number of diplomatic missions after the US, President Jacob Zuma said on Wednesday.
“Since 1994, our international relations and diplomatic missions have increased to include countries which South Africa had no relations with before,” Zuma said at a ceremony to welcome ambassadors.
“We are the second largest home for diplomatic missions after Washington.”
Zuma welcomed new ambassadors from Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Swaziland, Serbia, and Malaysia.
By 2012, diplomatic missions in South Africa had increased to 350.
The country had foreign missions in 34 countries in 1994.
He said the general elections, held last week, had consolidated the country's democracy.
“The successful elections have confirmed how effective the country's democratic institutions, such as the Electoral Commission of SA, are.”
Zuma encouraged the ambassadors to visit the country's nine provinces before the end of their terms.
The ambassadors congratulated Zuma on the successful elections.
Sapa