The UIAA (the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation) is the recognised international federation for mountain sports and the acknowledged expert on all international climbing and mountaineering matters. It has 80 member associations in 50 countries representing over 2,5 million individual members. It is affiliated to the International Olympic Committee.

The MCSA was invited to join the UIAA in 1995 and is the only member from Africa.

Through its membership of the UIAA the MCSA is afforded many opportunities, in the form of access to knowledge, the UIAA commissions, international expeditions and training initiatives. There is also a youth meet every year. Two of these international youth meets had been hosted in the Drakensberg by the MCSA. Youth Development funding is available through IOC affiliation of the UIAA for youth training and development. In 2014 an African Youth Leader Training Seminar took place in the Magaliesberg, partially funded through the IOC.

The UIAA Commissions are the working mechanism to obtain the goals of the UIAA and the MCSA has representation via corresponding members on the following Commissions:

Access, Environment, Expeditions, Medical, Training and Youth.

The MCSA President usually attends the annual General Assembly of the UIAA, providing feedback on trends and international affairs (See Reports below).