Vyacheslav Volodin discussed with Deputy President of South Africa Paul Mashatile the expansion of bilateral cooperation
Negotiations were held on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum
The Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin
Vyacheslav Victorovich
The Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the eighth convocation. Elected in single mandate constituency № 163 (Saratov constituency - Saratov Oblast)
met with the Deputy President of the Republic of South Africa Paul Shipokosa Mashatile. The parties discussed ways to boost
inter-parliamentary cooperation between Russia and South Africa, as well as expanding areas of bilateral cooperation.
According to the Chairman of the State Duma, South Africa is one of Russia's
key partners in Africa. He noted that dialogue at the level of heads of state
contributes to the dynamic development of bilateral relations. The parliaments
of Russia and South Africa, for their part, need to develop legislative measures to ensure the implementation of these decisions.
“We hope that your visit to Russia will give impetus to the development of our
interparliamentary ties,” Vyacheslav Volodin emphasized. He also asked to convey greetings and best wishes to the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic, Angela Thokozile Didiza, as well as an invitation to visit Russia.
According to the State Duma Chairman, Russia and South Africa have every opportunity to increase the pace of cooperation. He recalled that in the declaration of the Second Russia-Africa summit held in 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin and African leaders set the task of strengthening interparliamentary cooperation.
“Russia and South Africa have the same take on a bunch of global issues. We stand for the rule of law in international affairs, equal cooperation, and making sure the region stays stable and safe,“ said Vyacheslav Volodin.
”Today, the world is going through a transformation. The days of Western hegemony and neocolonialism are over. More and more countries want to live in a multipolar and just world based on mutual respect, the absence of double standards, and equality of states. We continue to actively cooperate within the BRICS framework on the basis of these principles,” the Chairman of the State Duma emphasized.
Vyacheslav Volodin thanked South Africa for the participation of representatives of the Republic in the celebrations marking the 80th
anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. “We believe that the visit
of your country's delegation was a sign of solidarity with the Russian people,”
he added.
Paul Mashatile expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to meet and discuss
issues related to promising areas of cooperation between the two countries.
“Over the years, South Africa and Russia have been able to build close
relations based on mutual respect and dialogue,” emphasized the Deputy President of the Republic . “South Africa and the Russian Federation are strategic
partners. We have historical relations based on solidarity and partnership. And solidarity is a very important aspect in ensuring the principles of democracy
and peace.“
According to Paul Mashatile, bilateral cooperation is based not only on mutual respect and understanding, but also on a common desire to ensure security, sustainable development, and economic growth.
