THE Southern African Development Community (SADC) Parliamentary Forum has expressed support to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) President, Dr Tulia Ackson following recent deliberations surrounding her meeting with the Russian President.

A statement issued by President of the SADC Parliamentary Forum, Roger Mancienne, stated that they support Dr Tulia as she navigates complex global diplomatic efforts in her role as IPU President.

Dr Tulia, who also serves as the Speaker of the National Assembly of Tanzania, faced scrutiny for engaging the Russian President during the BRICS Summit in an effort to promote peace through parliamentary diplomacy.

ALSO READ: Dr Tulia: My visits in Russia align with IPU’s mission

Speaking on behalf of the SADC region, Mancienne said that Dr Tulia’s actions were well within her mandate as IPU President.

“We believe that Dr Tulia acted in accordance with her role by initiating dialogue with the Russian President,” said Mancienne.

Mr Mancienne’s statement follows Dr Tulia’s recent address at the 149th IPU Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, where she responded to concerns raised by representatives from Iraq and Lithuania.

The representatives had questioned her decision to visit Russia amid the ongoing Ukraine war without first visiting Ukraine, and why she had not travelled to Gaza during the current conflict.

Dr Tulia clarified that her diplomatic efforts were driven by the principles of parliamentary diplomacy and promoting dialogue, not by geopolitical biases.

“The suggestion that meeting with the Russian President equates to agreeing with him on the war in Ukraine is entirely incorrect,” Mancienne said.

He added, “At no point did Dr Tulia support the military conflict in Ukraine. Her focus was on finding ways to implement IPU resolutions on Ukraine through dialogue and peace-building.”

ALSO READ: IPU’s Tulia earns plaudits for promoting global peace

Dr Tulia had affirmed in Geneva that her visits to Russia were part of her broader mandate to foster peace through parliamentary diplomacy.

She explained that her actions were consistent with the IPU’s mission of advancing dialogue, saying that she treats all conflicts with equal concern, including those in Gaza, Yemen, and Sudan.

Mr Mancienne, who is also the Speaker of the National Assembly of Seychelles said dialogue and peace-building are important, especially with leaders who have military forces at their command.

He said that diplomacy requires peaceful conversations to explore resolutions to conflicts, adding that Dr Tulia’s efforts were entirely in line with the IPU’s objectives.

The SADC Parliamentary Forum also expressed concern about what it described as double standards in the scrutiny faced by Dr Tulia compared to her predecessors.

“There seems to be an uneven level of criticism directed at Dr Tulia, stemming from her position as a leader from the Sub-Saharan Africa Geopolitical Group. This was not the case with previous IPU Presidents,” Mr Mancienne said, adding that such bias should not deter her efforts.

The SADC region, comprising member parliaments from countries including Angola, Botswana, DRC, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, reaffirmed its solidarity with Dr Tulia.

The group encouraged her to remain steadfast in her leadership despite the criticism from a few detractors.
“We extend our best wishes to Dr Tulia for her future initiatives as IPU President and urge her to continue advancing the ideals of peace and diplomacy,” said Mr Mancienne.