The Federation Council Deputy Speaker and the President of the Chamber of Senators of the Plurinational State of Bolivia discussed the prospects for cooperation between the two parliaments.
Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council Konstantin Kosachev met with President of the Chamber of Senators of the Plurinational State of Bolivia Andronico Rodriguez Ledezma, who arrived in Russia to participate in the Russia – Latin America international parliamentary conference.
Konstantin Kosachev conveyed Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko’s greetings to the head of the Upper Chamber of the Bolivian parliament and recalled the meeting between the Federation Council Speaker and President of Bolivia Luis Arce, which took place in January 2023 during the inauguration of the President of Brazil.
The Deputy Speaker of the Federation Council believes that Andronico Rodriguez Ledezma’s visit to Russia provides an opportunity to coordinate stances on important issues of bilateral relations and interaction in the international arena, as part of the parliamentary dialogue.
According to Konstantin Kosachev, Bolivia is a long-standing and reliable partner of Russia in Latin America. “This year, our countries celebrated the 125th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Over this time, we have created a solid foundation for the development of multifaceted and practical interaction, based on the principles of friendship and mutual respect.”
The Federation Council Deputy Speaker noted that Bolivia values and knows how to defend its freedom and independence, and the policies of the country’s leadership focus exclusively on national interests and those of the Bolivian people.
The President of the Chamber of Senators noted that Bolivia stands for strengthening and expanding ties and cooperation with Russia in various fields, including technology. “For us, the Russian Federation is a strategic partner.” To strengthen parliamentary interaction, Andronico Rodriguez Ledezma invited Russian senators to visit Bolivia.
Speaking about Russian-Bolivian parliamentary contacts, the Federation Council Deputy Speaker stressed the importance of developing both bilateral and multilateral ties, including within the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
The parties believe that parliamentarians of the two countries can make a greater contribution to Russian-Bolivian partnership.
Konstantin Kosachev said that the Intergovernmental Russian-Bolivian Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation was a key mechanism for building up bilateral ties. The meeting participants discussed strengthening cooperation in energy and industry, the prospects for interbank cooperation, and the implementation of specific projects, including the Centre for Nuclear Research and Technology in El Alto.
The meeting participants noted active cooperation on education between the two countries. “Long-standing traditions have already developed in this area of cooperation. Today, more than 150 Bolivian citizens are studying at Russian universities,” the Federation Council Deputy Speaker said, noting the need to resolve issues concerning the mutual recognition of higher education diplomas.
Konstantin Kosachev and Andronico Rodriguez Ledezma addressed the issue of establishing a dialogue between Bolivia and BRICS. The President of the Chamber of Senators of the Plurinational State of Bolivia emphasised Bolivia’s interest in joining the group.
The meeting was also attended by Anna Otke, head of the group for cooperation with the Chamber of Senators of the Plurinational State of Bolivia and member of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs and Dina Oyun, member of the Federation Council Committee on the Budget and Financial Markets.