National Assembly Speaker Ms Thandi Modise is representing the South African Parliament at the sixth Summit of the Heads of Parliaments of G20 countries, called the G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit, this week. The summit in Tokyo, Japan, aims to strengthen the role of legislatures in global affairs.
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) – the largest and oldest global parliamentary platform – and the House of Councillors of the National Diet (Parliament) of Japan are hosting the summit. Participating Speakers, including Ms Modise, will discuss the promotion of free, open and fair trade and investment; utilisation of innovative technology towards a human-centred future society; and efforts towards resolution of global challenges and achievement of sustainable development (including financing for development and transparent and effective government). They are also expected to adopt a joint statement, reflecting on issues agreed at the 2019 G20 Leaders’ Summit in June.
That summit committed the participating G20 leaders, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, to make united efforts to address major global economic challenges, to foster economic growth and to pave the way towards an inclusive and sustainable world, as envisioned in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Parliaments of G20 countries have a crucial role, as oversight authorities, in ensuring governments are held accountable for implementing decisions.
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.
The South Africa Parliament became a member of the IPU after democracy. As the IPU this year commemorates 130 years since it came into being, we continue to value the relevance of this global parliamentary forum. The IPU, as the oldest and largest platform of its kind in the world, provides a forum for parliamentarians from diverse countries and political parties to discuss and act together on common issues.
It is significant that the founders of the IPU, Frédéric Passy and William Randal Cremer, were both active in the movement for international peace and each went on to win Nobel Peace Prizes.
South Africa remains appreciative of the IPU’s observance of the centenary birthday of South Africa’s first democratically-elected President, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, and his contribution to advancing peace, human rights, democracy and reconciliation in the face of racism and racial discrimination. Our membership and participation in the IPU have presented us with a platform to share best practices and to contribute positively towards humanity’s most pressing challenges.
Our Parliament was honoured to host the 118th IPU Assembly and related meetings in Cape Town in April 2008. The focus of that assembly was “Pushing back the frontiers of poverty”. Today, the goals of mainstreaming sustainable development, human rights, peace and security, gender equality and inclusive, transparent, representative and effective governance remain as urgent as before.
The IPU, with its permanent observer status at the United Nations General Assembly, has broadened the role of parliaments in global affairs. Parliaments represent the people and conduct their international work on behalf of the people. As part of an interconnected world, we are affected by socio-economic and political factors beyond the borders and continents in which we are located. Without working together with other parliaments, our efforts to improve the living conditions of the people we represent may not reap the full intended benefits for the people we serve.
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