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
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
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
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
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
14 September 2021
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Scotland Branch AGM: Chaired by the Presiding Officer (as Branch President)
13 September 2021
Dr Gabrielle Andretta MdL, President of the State Parliament of Lower Saxony: Meeting with the Presiding Officer
Issued discussed
- Practices, policies and procedures of both parliaments
- Interparliamentary relations
Read tweet about meeting with the President
7 September 2021
Ilse Aigner MdL, President of the State Parliament of Bavaria: Meeting with the Presiding Officer
Issues discussed
- Interparliamentary relations
- Topical issues in Scotland and Bavaria
Read tweet about meeting with the President
16 June 2021
Jane McCulloch, Consul General of Ireland: Meeting with the Presiding Officer
Issues discussed
- Work of the Scottish Parliament
- Interparliamentary relations
Read tweet about meeting with the Consul General
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