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The Presiding Officers of Parliament, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Thoko Didiza and the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), Ms Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane have noted the concerns raised by some political parties regarding the parliamentary delegation currently undertaking an official bilateral working visit to the Russian Federation.

The Presiding Officers respect the right of all political parties represented in Parliament to raise questions about representation in international engagements. Open debate and accountability are essential features of South Africa's constitutional democracy, and Parliament remains committed to engaging such matters through its established processes.

The Presiding Officers believe that it is equally important to understand how parliamentary bilateral visits are organised and why they are an important part of Parliament's constitutional responsibilities.

The current visit to the Russian Federation is being led by the Chairperson of the NCOP, in her capacity as the Presiding Officer of the NCOP. While Parliament functions as one institution, the National Assembly and the NCOP are two separate Houses with distinct constitutional mandates, leadership responsibilities and international programmes. Each Presiding Officer is responsible for leading and managing the official engagements of his or her House.

Bilateral parliamentary visits are official engagements between two legislatures. They provide an opportunity for Parliament to strengthen relations with counterpart institutions, exchange experiences on law-making and oversight, promote dialogue on issues of mutual interest and deepen cooperation in support of South Africa's foreign policy objectives. Such visits also strengthen relationships between democratically elected legislatures and contribute to, among others, global peace and security, as well as economic development through parliamentary diplomacy.
 
Unlike multilateral meetings, where Parliamentary delegations are composed in line with proportional representation of political parties, the Speaker and the Chairperson determine the size and composition of delegations for bilateral meetings. The current visit forms part of the long-standing parliamentary cooperation between South Africa and the Russian Federation, established through a Memorandum of Cooperation signed in 2014. The relationship continues to provide opportunities for dialogue on parliamentary governance, democratic oversight and cooperation through platforms such as the BRICS Parliamentary Forum and the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

The Speaker also confirmed that she has received an invitation from the Chairperson of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Mr Vyacheslav Volodin, to undertake an official bilateral visit to Russia in 2027. The visit will build on the existing parliamentary relationship between the two legislatures and will provide an opportunity to deepen cooperation while advancing dialogue in support of the global development agenda.

The Presiding Officers have noted media reports on complaints by some political parties on the current delegation and they will be dealt with through the appropriate parliamentary processes.

Issued by Parliament