Question NW3012 to the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation
02 October 2023 - NW3012
Powell, Ms EL to ask the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation
(1)What (a) are the details and/or a full list of all political party representatives invited to attend the 2023 BRICS Political Party Plus Dialogue and (b) was the selection criteria used to determine to whom such invitations would be extended; (2) what costs have her department contributed to the (a) BRICS Ministerial Meeting hosted in Cape Town on 1 June 2023, (b) 2023 BRICS Political Party Plus Dialogue hosted on 18 July 2023 and (c) BRICS Summit hosted in August; (3) what are the full and cumulative costs for (a) BRICS Ministerial Meeting hosted in Cape Town on 1 June 2023, (b) 2023 BRICS Political Party Plus Dialogue and (c) the BRICS Summit hosted in August? NW4077E
Reply:
1. (a) The political parties of the respective BRICS Plus countries were invited by South Africa’s governing party, the African National Congress, to attend the BRICS Political Party Plus Dialogue. The South African Government was not involved in organising the BRICS Political Party Plus Dialogue. (b) The South African Government was not involved in the selection nor the extending of invitations to any political party.
2. (a) The Departmental contribution to the BRICS Ministerial of 1st and 2nd June hosted in Cape Town amounted to ZAR 9 848 909.51 (b) The South African Government and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation did not contribute to the BRICS Political Party Plus Dialogue. (c) The Department will only be able to provide information once the reconciliation of accounts has been completed.
3. (a) The full and cumulative costs for the BRICS Ministerial were ZAR 9 848 909.51.(b) The South African Government and the Department did not contribute financially to the 2023 BRICS Political Party Plus Dialogue. (c) The Department will only be able to provide the full and cumulative costs once the reconciliation of accounts has been completed.