The Inter-Parliamentary Union is an international non-government organisation that coordinates the activities of parliaments around the world. It was founded in 1889 and has observer status at the UN. The parliaments of 143 countries are members of the union.
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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Ms Ackson, first of all, let me thank you for coming to the BRICS Parliamentary Forum. I would like to note that 400 delegates from 18 countries are taking part in it, and this certainly indicates that both BRICS and the parliamentary dimension of BRICS cooperation are enjoying great interest and growing trust from the international community. This is understandable, because the principles of the BRICS work –true equality and consideration of each other's interests – cannot but attract participants in international activities.
Your union is a respectable organisation that was founded back in the late 19th century. Many countries are its members. We welcome the fact that it is now led by a representative of a developing economy in Africa. I am confident that this will be interesting for you.
On our part, we hope that you will support the work of the BRICS parliamentary dimension, which is important. Not only does it lay the foundation for joint work to strengthen the regulatory framework between participating states, but also it creates a favourable humanitarian atmosphere for achieving common development goals. Once again, I would like to thank you for your participation in the meeting of the BRICS countries’ parliamentarians.
Welcome.
President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Speaker of the National Assembly of Tanzania Tulia Ackson: Thank you so much, Your Excellency, for creating time to also come address us in this very important conference, but also creating time for the two of us to meet today. And I'm grateful for the invitation that I received from the Right Honourable Speaker. So I am happy to be here. We have been very well received, so we appreciate that.
And like you said, my coming here underscores the fact that as a leader of the parliamentary network of the world, and BRICS being part of it, because BRICS attracts 10 member countries, and so the 10 member parliaments, and some of them have two chambers, so I have come to show solidarity and support for them as their leader. But on the other hand, the ideals of IPU will go as well with the ideals of BRICS. And so we will be working together towards that.
And I had a bilateral with Madam Speaker, and we have talked about the relationship between BRICS and IPU, but also the relationship between our two parliaments, the Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania and also the Parliament of Russia. So that said, IPU as a multilateral organisation, we pride ourselves into having been there for 135 years, and out of those, Russia has been part of it for 118 years, which is not a small number of years. It's a long time.
And also, I would like to extend the appreciation of the IPU generally because Russia has been a very active member since its joining the IPU and we have been working together in all the areas that IPU works on. One of the areas that we have been working together is the area of parliamentary diplomacy.
Аnd of course, IPU puts greater emphasis on the issue of parliamentary dialogue. And in this dialogue, because it brings together more than 46,000 members of parliament, and we use dialogue to bring on board the issues of interest to different countries. And we also use principles of respect for each other, so each person or each parliamentarian, if they're given the floor, they have to respect each other. But also, we create a platform where we can sit together and be able to talk about the issues of interest to our own countries because as parliamentarians, we are responsible for advising our governments. At the same time, we are also responsible for overseeing the works of our governments. So we advise and we also oversee.
Now, in all these roles that we play, we would like to see the IPU, you know, giving room, being fair to every member country, but also member parliament. In this respect, Mr. President, as head of the IPU, I understand there are lots of conflicts that are happening in the world. And I have been able to visit a few of those places. And it's because in the course of this year, one of the themes that we have been working on as IPU is the area of peace and security. So I understand Russia.
In the older days, you worked harder as a nation to make sure countries, that were under the rule of other nations, became free. So I would like to underscore that fact. And African countries were part of those that benefited from the works of Russia. But at the moment, there are conflicts all over the world, and including my own continent, Africa, as you might know, we have challenges in different parts of Africa and as IPU, we are working harder to make sure we try to create a platform where as parliamentarians we can sit together and discuss how we can get to that.
But on the other hand, I've been able, okay, I haven't finished even a year of my mandate, but I have been able to visit the Middle East and I was able to visit the Palestine side. I talked to them and I had a chance to visit different places and also I visited Israel side and I had a chance to talk to them and then what I'm trying to see is that because IPU would like to see parliamentarians being engaged in such issues, I would like to see IPU under my leadership also spearhead those issues. So, like I said, I had a bilateral with the Right Honorable Speaker, and so we look forward to working together in the area of which is challenging at the moment that is happening between Russia and Ukraine. And so we will have a chance to talk into more details in how, as parliamentarians, we can actually discuss, and after discussing through dialogue, so that the parliament will be able to advise the government on the best way possible out of this.
So we look forward to working together and I really, really appreciate the time that you have given me to talk to you about this and I'm grateful that we already have at least an indication of the readiness to sit together at the table and be able to use dialogue as one of the tools in our parliamentary forum.
So back to BRICS, I look forward to also working closely with BRICS countries. And because now it's BRICS Plus, and I believe, Mr President, more countries might be joining. And I'll be ready from the parliamentary side to give my support whenever needed. And all the ideals that we value at IPU, we will be able to do the same way with BRICS Plus. And once those countries have joined, I believe we'll be able to have a stronger IPU, and so, the stronger BRICS.
Thank you so much, Mr President.
Vladimir Putin: Ms Ackson, you are absolutely right. I also have just mentioned it in my address to my colleagues – the work of representatives of the representative bodies of authority – pardon the tautology – is much needed. And when it comes to overcoming difficulties in the international arena, solving complex issues, it is even more essential than ever. I mean that often the parliamentary tools are the only ones to start dialogues between those who are interested in finding solutions to certain acute issues. That is why we also view your visit here in the same vein. We will be able to say a few more words to elaborate on this now.
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