What a novel idea! I really enjoyed this. I was very surprised to see South Africa so high up and not other former dominions like New Zealand, Australia and Canada who traditionally are closer to the UK. Fascinating. Well done.
Thank you! Yes it surprised me too, especially that New Zealand isn’t on there at all. I suppose it’s South Africa’s dramatic political change and the particular appeal of Mandela that explains their place near the top of the list, as opposed to somewhere like Australia whose politics and relationship to the UK has stayed pretty constant (and is therefore perhaps less interesting to parliament!).
AUS & NZ have become far more Asia/Pacific focused both economically and security wise post WW2 and especially over the past 50-60 years, particularly after UK joined the Common Market in the earlier 70s.
Yes, she gave an address to parliament separately to Zelenskyy in her role as First Lady of Ukraine. This is why I have used the broad term ‘world leaders’ rather than ‘heads of state’ or something.