MEDIA ADVISORY: PRESIDING OFFICERS TO REPRESENT PARLIAMENT AT THE NINTH G20 HEADS OF PARLIAMENTS SUMMIT IN INDIA

National Assembly (NA) Speaker, Ms Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Chairperson, Mr Amos Masondo will represent the South African Parliament as delegates to the Ninth G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit (known as the P20) taking place in New Delhi, India from 12 to 14 October.

The Summit is hosted in cooperation with the Interparliamentary Union (IPU), under the theme ‘Parliaments for One Earth, One Family, One Future’, which signifies kinship and inspires all to join together in collective parliamentary action to safeguard the future of humanity on planet Earth.

The IPU is the largest global body of parliaments which has broadened the role of parliaments in global affairs. As the oldest and largest platform of its kind in the world, it provides a forum for parliamentarians from diverse countries and political parties to discuss and act together on common issues. The South African Parliament became a member of the IPU after democracy and continues to value the relevance of
this global parliamentary forum.

The 9th gathering of the parliaments of the G20 countries follows the Eighteenth G20 Summit held under the Presidency of India in New Delhi, under the same theme. In this regard, the P20 gathering is accordingly being hosted and chaired by the legislative body of India.

This significant event underscores the commitment of G20 member nations to foster global cooperation and address pressing challenges in an interconnected world. With representatives from various countries convening in India’s capital, New Delhi, the P20 summit provides a platform for discussions on vital issues, from economic stability to environmental sustainability, with the aim of shaping a brighter and more unified global future.

On 13 and 14 October, the participating Speakers, including Mme Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and Mr Amos Masondo, will engage in four high-level sessions on Accelerating Sustainable Development Goals, Sustainable Energy Transition, Women-led Development, and Transformation in People’
s Lives through Public Digital Platforms. The constructive discussions are meant to evolve a collective vision and action-oriented recommendations to address contemporary global challenges.

The summit will be preceded by a Parliamentary Forum as a pre-summit event on ‘Lifestyle for Environment’ to promote the adoption of sustainable lifestyles and sustainable patterns of production and consumption. The forum will afford opportunities for participants to share knowledge and best practices about climate action initiatives across the globe.

The presiding officers will be accompanied by Secretary to the National Assembly, Mr Masibulele Xaso and other officials who will participate in a meeting of the Delegation Secretaries to finalize the Draft Joint Statement on 12 October, and other engagements on the sidelines of the summit.

Parliaments of G20 countries, including the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, have a crucial role as oversight authorities in ensuring governments are held accountable for imp
lementing decisions of the G20 heads of state, and fostering global peace and cooperation. Parliaments represent the people and conduct their international work on behalf of the people.

The G20 is made up of 19 countries and the European Union. The 19 countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, South Africa, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Source: Parliament of South Africa