Didiza confirms US Speaker of House of Representatives not attending P20 summit

KLEINMOND - As Parliament’s presiding officers prepare to welcome their counterparts to their final G20 event under South Africa’s presidency, the United States won’t be represented by its speaker of the house.

Instead, four representatives will attend the two-day discussions in Kleinmond in the Western Cape, after which the US will assume the presidency of the P20.

On Tuesday, Speaker Thoko Didiza said the event was a historic milestone for Parliament to reaffirm its commitment to positioning South Africa as a rallying point of diplomacy, inclusive development and investment.

The 11th G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit, known as the P20, is the first ever to be held on the continent.

Didiza said it provided a platform for speakers and presiding officers of parliaments from G20 member states, and the African Union, to deliberate on how legislative bodies can contribute to the formulation and implementation of G20 decisions.

"With the African Union now a permanent member of the G20, we are in a unique position to ensure that African perspectives, priorities and solutions are fully integrated into the global agenda."

As with the attendance at most of South Africa’s G20 events, the US, the incumbent host of next year’s G20, won’t be sending its top legislators.

"We have been informed by the United States that there will be four representatives that will be coming to the meeting, but not at the speaker’s level but as members of parliament and others will be coming from the embassy, and therefore that handover will be done."

The P20 is being preceded by sessions of both the women’s and youth parliament.