National Assembly has suspended all official visits to South Africa, directing its members and officials to boycott legislative activities hosted or organised by South African authorities until further notice.
The decision was contained in a statement issued by the House of Representatives spokesman, Akin Rotimi, on Friday.
“The Leadership of the National Assembly, led by H.E. Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON, President of the Senate, and Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, PhD, GCON, Speaker of the House of Representatives, has directed the Clerk to the National Assembly to communicate to all Distinguished Senators, Honourable Members, Committees, departments, directorates, officials and staff the decision of the National Assembly to suspend all official visits to the Republic of South Africa and boycott South African-hosted or South African-organised legislative activities and engagements until further notice,” the statement read.
This development followed concerns over reports of continued xenophobic attacks, violence, intimidation and destruction of property targeting Nigerians and other African nationals living in South Africa.
The statement said the National Assembly was particularly concerned by reports of Nigerians being killed, injured, displaced and forced to abandon their businesses, investments, homes and other properties.
“Of particular concern to the National Assembly is the persistence of these incidents despite repeated appeals by the Federal Government of Nigeria and other stakeholders to the South African authorities to take decisive measures to protect Nigerians and other foreign nationals and bring perpetrators of xenophobic violence to justice,” he stated.
Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, said the decision followed consultations between the leadership of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The directive covers official visits by lawmakers, committees, officials and staff of the National Assembly.
It also applies to conferences, seminars, workshops, meetings, parliamentary exchanges and other legislative engagements organised, hosted, sponsored or co-sponsored by South African legislative authorities.
National Assembly said the suspension would cover both physical and virtual engagements.
But the statement said no official delegation or member could participate in such engagements during the suspension without the prior express approval of the leadership of the National Assembly.
The statement read, “For clarity and strict compliance, the directive provides as follows:
“a. All official visits to the Republic of South Africa by the National Assembly, its Committees, lawmakers, officials and staff are hereby suspended;
“b. All participation by the National Assembly, its Committees, lawmakers, officials and staff in legislative activities, conferences, seminars, workshops, meetings, exchanges or other engagements organised, hosted, sponsored or co-sponsored by the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa or other South African legislative authorities is hereby suspended;
“c. The suspension shall apply to both physical and virtual/online engagements, including invitations to participate in meetings, programmes, parliamentary exchanges and other legislative activities hosted from or by South African legislative institutions;
“d. No official delegation, Committee, lawmaker, official or staff member of the National Assembly shall undertake or participate in any such engagement during the period of the suspension without the prior express approval of the Leadership of the National Assembly; and
“e. All existing arrangements, invitations or proposed programmes involving official visits or legislative engagements in South Africa shall be reviewed in accordance with this directive.”
The latest decision comes after the National Assembly earlier this year condemned renewed xenophobic attacks in South Africa and backed diplomatic efforts to address the violence against Nigerians.
National Assembly said the suspension would remain in force until further notice and could be reviewed by its leadership depending on developments.
It stressed that the action did not amount to a rejection of Nigeria’s longstanding diplomatic and people-to-people relationship with South Africa.
“While parliamentary diplomacy and inter-legislative cooperation remain important, they must rest on mutual respect and a shared commitment to protecting life, property and lawful enterprise,” the statement added.
