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International connections

International activity

Find out about the Scottish Parliament's inward and outward international visits.

Scottish Parliament international activity in Session 5 (2016-2021)

Inward visits

11 May 2022

Sophia Arvanitis, Agent General of Ontario: Meeting with parliamentary officials

Issues discussed

Topical issues in Scotland and Ontario
Overview of the Scottish Parliament

10 May 2022

Members of the Education Committee of the State Parliament of Lower Saxony meeting with Members of the Education, Children and Young People Committee

Read tweet about meeting with the Members

5 May 2022

Hon Masizole Mnqasela, Speaker of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament: Meetings with Presiding Officer, Members and officials

Issues discussed

Topical issues in Scotland and Western Cape
Role of the Presiding Officers and members
Petitions and voting systems
Risk management and new ways of working
Training for Members

Read tweet about meeting with the Speaker

4 May 2022

Tadashi Fujiwara, Consul General of Japan in Scotland: Meeting with Presiding Officer

Issues discussed

Topical issues in Scotland and Japan
Work of the Scottish Parliament

Read tweet about meeting with the Consul General

28 April 2022

Laura Popescu, Ambassador of Romania to the United Kingdom

Issues discussed

Topical issues in Scotland and Romania
Work of the Scottish Parliament

Read tweet about meeting with the Ambassador

27 April 2022

Bijay Selvaraj, Consul General of India: Meeting with the Presiding Officer

Issues discussed

Topical issues in Scotland and India
Work of the Scottish Parliament

Read tweet about meeting with the Consul General

20 April - 21 April 2022

The Hon Jonathan O’Dea MP, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Parliament of New South Wales: Meetings with Presiding Officer

Issues discussed

Topical issues in Scotland and New South Wales
Work of the Scottish Parliament
Effective scrutiny, diversity, inclusion and representation

Read tweet about meeting with the Speaker

13 April 2022

Felicity Wilson MP, Member of Parliament of New South Wales: Meeting with Siobhian Brown MSP, Convener of the COVID 19 Recovery Committee

Issues discussed

COVID recovery in Scotland and New South Wales and the work of the Committee

Read tweet about meeting with the Member

31 March 2022

John Smith Centre Parliamentary Interns: Meetings with Deputy Presiding Officer Liam McArthur MSP, Pam Gosal MSP, Bob Doris MSP, Paul O’Kane MSP and officials

Issues discussed

Work of the Scottish Parliament
Role of the Presiding Officers and members
Holding the Scottish Government to account

Read tweet about meeting with the John Smith Centre Parliamentary Interns

31 March 2022

HE Saida Muna Tasneem, Bangladesh High Commissioner: Meeting with the Presiding Officer

30 March 2022

Stephan Weil, Minister President of Lower Saxony; Birgit Honé, Minister for European and Federal Affairs and Regional State Development; Dr Gabriele Andretta, President of the State Parliament and Members of the State Parliament: Meeting with the Presiding Officer and Members

Issues discussed

Topical issues in Scotland and Lower Saxony

Read tweet about meeting with the Ministers and President

24 March 2022

Jim Himes and Sean Patrick Maloney, Members of the US House of Representatives: Meeting with Deputy Presiding Officer Annabelle Ewing MSP

Issues discussed

Topical issues in Scotland and the USA

Read tweet about meeting with Members of the US House of Representatives

23 March - 25 March 2022

Liesbeth Homans, Speaker of the Flemish Parliament: Meetings with the Presiding Officer and Deputy Presiding Officer Annabelle Ewing MSP

Issues discussed

Topical issues in Scotland and Flanders
Work of the Scottish Parliament

Read tweet about meeting with the Speaker of the Flemish Parliament

17 March 2022

Peter Müller-McDougall, Dean of the Consular Corps in Scotland, and Honorary Swiss Consul General: Meeting with the Presiding Officer

Issues discussed

Topical issues in Scotland and Switzerland
Work of the Scottish Parliament

Read tweet about meeting with the Dean of the Consular Corps and Consul General

10 March 2022

Yevhen Mankovskyi, (Acting) Consul General of Ukraine: Meeting with the Presiding Officer

Issues discussed

Current situation in Ukraine

Read tweet about meeting with the Acting Consul General

9 March 2022

Laurence Païs, Consul General of France to Edinburgh: Meeting with the Presiding Officer

Issues discussed

Topical issues in Scotland and France
Work of the Scottish Parliament

Read tweet about meeting with the Consul General

24 February 2022

Wegger Christian Strømmen, Ambassador of Norway: Meeting with the Presiding Officer

Issues discussed

Topical issues in Scotland and Norway
Work of the Scottish Parliament

Read tweet about meeting with the Ambassador

25 November 2021

HE Mohammad Sarwar, Governor of Punjab: Meeting with the Presiding Officer

Issues discussed

Topical issues in Scotland and Pakistan
Work of the Scottish Parliament

Read tweet about meeting with the Governor

18 November 2021

Jack Hillmeyer, Consul General of the United States: Meeting with the Presiding Officer

Issues discussed

Topical issues in Scotland and the USA
Work of the Scottish Parliament

Read tweet about meeting with the Consul General

10 November 2021

Annette Lind MP, Vice President of the Nordic Council and Kristina Háfoss, Secretary General of the Nordic Council: Meeting with the Presiding Officer at joint COP26 event

Issues discussed

Role of parliaments and parliamentarians in the scrutiny of government climate policies
Climate emergency and net zero transition

Read tweet about the Nordic Council / Scottish Parliament COP26 event

10 November 2021

Members of the California State Senate: Meeting with members of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Issues discussed

COP26
Energy, climate emergency and net zero transition

Read tweet about meeting with the Senate Members

9 November 2021

Thekla Walker MP, Baden-Württemberg Minister of the Environment, Climate and Energy: Meeting with members of the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Issues discussed

COP26
Energy, climate emergency and net zero transition

Read tweet about meeting with the Minister

5 November 2021

Stephen Twigg, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA): Meeting with the Presiding Officer

Issues discussed

Work of the CPA and CPA Scotland Branch
Climate emergency and net zero transition

Read tweet about meeting with the Secretary-General

5 November 2021

Senator Rosa Galvez, Canadian Federal Parliament: Meeting with the Presiding Officer

Issues discussed

COP26, climate emergency and net zero transition
Topical issues in Scotland and Canada

Read tweet about meeting with the Senator

5 November 2021

Benoit Charette MNA, Quebec Minister of the Environment: Meeting with the Presiding Officer

Issues discussed

COP26, energy, climate emergency and net zero transition
Topical issues in Scotland and Quebec

Read tweet about meeting with the Minister

5 November 2021

Mohamed Nasheed, Speaker of the Maldives Parliament: Meeting with the Presiding Officer

Issues discussed

COP26, climate emergency and net zero transition

Read tweet about meeting with the Speaker

5 November 2021

Samuelu Teo, Speaker of the Tuvalu Parliament: Meeting with the Presiding Officer

Issues discussed

CO26, climate emergency and net zero transition

Read tweet about meeting with the Speaker

2 November 2021

The Hon Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh: Meeting with the Presiding Officer

Issued discussed

COP26, climate emergency and net zero transition
Topical issues in Scotland and Bangladesh

Read tweet about meeting with the Prime Minister

28 October 2021

Dr Gabriele Andretta, President of the State Parliament of Lower Saxony : Meeting with the Presiding Officer

Issued discussed

Practices, policies and procedures of both parliaments
Encouraging diversity in parliament
Interparliamentary relations

Read tweet about meeting with the President

7 October 2021

João Vale de Almeida, Ambassador, Delegation of the European Union in the UK: Meeting with Deputy Presiding Officer Liam McArthur MSP

Issued discussed

Topical issues in Scotland and the EU
Work of the Scottish Parliament

Read tweet about meeting with the Ambassador

6 October 2021

Dr Andreas Zimmer, Consul General of Germany: Meeting with the Presiding Officer

Issued discussed

Interparliamentary relations (Federal and Lander)
Topical issues in Scotland and Germany

Read tweet about meeting with the Consul General

29 September 2021

H.E. Angela Ponomariov, Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova: Meeting with Deputy Presiding Officer Annabelle Ewing MSP

Issued discussed

Topical issues in Scotland and Moldova
Work of the Scottish Parliament
Interparliamentary relations

Read tweet about meeting with the Ambassador

28 September 2021

Jane McCulloch, Consul General of Ireland: Meeting with Deputy Presiding Officer Annabelle Ewing MSP

Issued discussed

Interparliamentary relations
Work of the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly (BIPA)

Read tweet about meeting with the Consul General

23 September 2021

H.E. Mr José Pascual Marco, Ambassador of Spain: Meeting with the Presiding Officer

Issued discussed

Topical issues in Scotland and Spain
Work of the Scottish Parliament
Interparliamentary relations

Read tweet about meeting with the Ambassador

16 September 2021

H.E. Sophie Katsarava MBE, Ambassador of Georgia: Meeting with the Presiding Officer

Issued discussed

Topical issues in Scotland and Georgia
Work of the Scottish Parliament
Interparliamentary relations

Read tweet about meeting with the Ambassador

Outward Visits

9 April – 10 April 2022

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Executive Committee Conference Assam, India. Attended by Stuart McMillan MSP

7 April 2022

Presiding Officer visit to the Houses of the Oireachtas, Dublin

Read tweet about visit to the Houses of the Oireachtas

Read tweet about Museum of Literature Ireland event

Read tweet about meeting with Senator Mark Daly

24 March – 25 March 2022

51st Commonwealth Parliamentary Association British Islands and Mediterranean Region Conference, Isle of Man. Attended by Jeremy Balfour MSP, Sarah Boyack MSP, Stuart McMillan MSP

Read tweet about the conference

27 February – 28 February 2022

61st British Irish Parliamentary Assembly (BIPA) Plenary Conference, London: Attended by Deputy Presiding Officer Annabelle Ewing MSP, Tess White MSP, Pauline McNeill MSP and Ross Greer MSP

Read tweet about BIPA Plenary

Virtual meetings

25 March 2022

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, British Islands and Mediterranean Region Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Steering Committee meeting: Attended by Sarah Boyack MSP and Elena Whitham MSP

Read tweet about meeting with the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Steering Committee

21 March 2022

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities meeting: Attended by Jeremy Balfour MSP

23 November 2021

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities meeting: Attended by Jeremy Balfour MSP

18 November 2021

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, British Islands and Mediterranean Region Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Steering Committee meeting: Attended by Sarah Boyack MSP and Elena Whitham MSP

Read tweet about meeting

8 October 2021

François Paradis MNA, President, National Assembly of Quebec: Meeting with the Presiding Officer

Issues discussed:

Practices, policies and procedures of both parliaments
Interparliamentary relations

Read tweet about meeting with the President

30 September 2021

Rt Hon Trevor Mallard, Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives: Meeting with the Presiding Officer

Issued discussed

Practices, policies and procedures of both parliaments
Interparliamentary relations

Read tweet about meeting with the Speaker

27 September 2021

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, International Executive Committee meeting: Attended by Stuart McMillan MSP

Read tweet about meeting

21-22 September 2021

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), British Islands and Mediterranean Region Annual Conference, Belfast: Attended by Sarah Boyack MSP and Stuart McMillan MSP

Read tweet about CPA annual conference