NCOP Chair Leads Working Visit to Russia

South African and Russian parliamentary leaders explore expanded cooperation in agriculture, health, research and education.

Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in International Relations

NCOP Chair Leads Working Visit to Russia

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The Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces led a working visit to the Russian Federation at the invitation of the Chairperson of the Federation Council. Both sides identified opportunities to enhance cooperation across several sectors, and a memorandum of understanding between the South African National Assembly and the State Duma has been proposed.

Why it matters

The visit reflects an established practice of reciprocal high-level exchanges aimed at strengthening inter-parliamentary ties and aligning positions on issues of common interest. For South Africa, it adds a parliamentary channel alongside its wider international relations with Russia.

Preparations are underway for the 20th anniversary of the Treaty of Friendship and Partnership between the two countries. The extraction does not state the visit date or whether the proposed parliamentary memorandum has been finalised.

The players

National Council of Provinces (NCOP)

The upper house of South Africa's Parliament, representing the nine provinces in the national legislative process.

State Duma

The lower chamber of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, with which the South African National Assembly has proposed a memorandum of understanding.

RUDN University

A Russian higher education institution that highlighted its long-standing cooperation with South African universities, including UNISA, the University of Pretoria, Stellenbosch University and the Durban University of Technology.

The details

The invitation was transmitted through normal diplomatic channels to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation and then to the NCOP Chairperson's office. Both sides agreed to explore exchange visits to boost regional and provincial integration, develop joint activities for young parliamentarians, and exchange information on focal points for parliamentary relations.

The working visit to the Russian Federation is undated in the source material.
Preparations are underway for the 20th anniversary of the Treaty of Friendship and Partnership.

Big Picture

The visit sits within the framework of the Treaty of Friendship and Partnership, which is marking its 20th anniversary, and extends that bilateral relationship into parliamentary diplomacy. Russia also expressed readiness to support South Africa's readmission to the G20 under a future chair.

For South African citizens, the visit's practical effect is limited to the parliamentary and diplomatic channels it opens rather than any direct change to daily life. Any resulting exchange programmes or joint youth initiatives would be the first points at which the public would see concrete outcomes.

The takeaway

Parliamentary diplomacy can complement government-to-government relations by building direct channels between legislatures. Watch for whether the proposed memorandum of understanding is signed and how the exchange visits are structured.