Tanzania’s Speaker, Tulia Ackson, who also serves as the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), had to defend her position during a heated debate on October 14, 2024, at the 149th IPU Assembly. The debate arose over her visit to Russia and her meeting with President Vladimir Putin on July 11, 2024.

The assembly, which began on October 13 and is expected to conclude on October 17 in Geneva, Switzerland, commenced with her report on her activities as President, prompting a response from the delegates.

“What did you feel when shaking hands with the war criminal Putin, from the terrorist regime Russia,” a delegate from Lithuania asked prompting a Russian delegate to call for the chair intervention over the choice of words.

“Who mandated you to represent the IPU and what benefit did this visit bring to democracy and not to Russia propaganda,” the Lithuania delegate continued.

A Canadian delegate echoed similar concerns: “With respect to your visit to Russia and your meeting with President Putin who waged an illegal war against Ukraine, I think this assembly should receive the answer as to what happened at this meeting.”

Delegate from the U.A.E, Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi who is also the Chairperson of the IPU Task Force for Ukraine, explained to members that the visit was made at the task force’s request. The task force had asked Ackson, as IPU President, to seek access to both Ukrainian and Russian leaders.

“During our last meeting in Geneva in March, we had the meeting with Madam President and during that meeting, we requested the President of the IPU to help us by engaging with the Executive,”  Al Nuami told members.

He continued: “But unfortunately, because of other commitments, President Zelenskyy had to go to Washington to attend the NATO meeting, and our meeting was canceled two days before the meeting.”

Al Nuami’s explanation wasn’t enough to quench the thirst of members who wanted a reaction and explanation from Ackson.

“You reported that you met with Putin, I want all of us to know this happened just a few days after Russia’s missile destroyed the famous children’s hospital Ohmatdyt in Kyiv,” the Ukranian delegate said. Did you discuss with him the IPU resolution about Russian aggression in Ukraine? did you raise during this meeting the topic of kidnapped Ukrainian children?” he asked.

Russia’s delegate said that the meeting that Ackson had with President Putin was a normal diplomatic engagement and that Ackson was invited to attend the 10^th parliamentary forum of BRICS countries.

“What we see here now doesn’t make me happy, this is not about Russia being attacked it is about the IPU being attacked and the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union being attacked by a certain geopolitical group,” the Russia delegate Konstantin Kosachev explained.

In a six-minute Ackson was able to share her response which was periodically interjected by moments of delegates clapping.

“My visit was to begin with Ukraine, Ukraine responded that on the dates that we were ready to visit them Mr. Zelenskyy and Mr. Speaker will be in New York for the NATO meeting,” Ackson explained.

She continued: “Now because the meeting of BRICS was taking place would I stop going to Russia because Ukraine is not ready to receive me because of time no, why? because IPU stands for dialogue, IPU is talking about parliamentary diplomacy and it is in that context that I did all that I did. You are asking me who mandated me, who mandated the former President who came from the twelve plus to visit Kyiv, who mandated him?”

Ackson went on to clarify the decision to meet Putin was because of the impact of the war on Ukraine and IPU ideals.

“I was requested by the task force to do what I did, what did I do wrong?  Was I supposed to sit back and tie my hands and say there is nothing we can do as IPU? That will not be doing justice to the women and children of Ukraine who are suffering that wouldn’t be fair to the mandate that you have given me,” Ackson emphasized.

She called for trust and asked members to allow her to fulfill the role she had been elected to perform.

“Colleagues let’s have trust, you have elected a President who is supposed to deliver to her mandate and I think you are dealing with me unjustifiably, which is not fair to anybody,” Ackson argued.

“Give me a chance to lead this institution according to the ideals that we stand for, not crucify me just because I come from some country some of you may feel like we are still colonized in the mind, no we are not,” Ackson emphasized as members were clapping in the background.