Paul Mashatile, the Deputy President of the ANC and of the Republic of South Africa, will attend the 2024 Sinn Féin Ard Fheis in Athlone tomorrow on behalf of the ANC leadership.

He will speak to the conference in an address that will be live-streamed on the Irish national broadcaster RTÉ, and later in the afternoon will deliver a keynote address to the Ard Fheis.

Sinn Féin is an all-Ireland Irish Republican Party committed to a new reunited Ireland based on equality and social justice.

Sinn Féin is the largest political party on the island of Ireland where it leads the opposition in the south of Ireland and holds the position of First Minister in the North’s legislative assembly.

The Ard Fheis is Sinn Féin’s annual party conference where elected representatives and party members come together to reaffirm their commitment to a New Ireland and to discuss and set out its political priorities for the year ahead.

Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Ard Fheis, the Sinn Féin President, Mary Lou McDonald said:

“It is an enormous honour to welcome the Deputy President of the African National Congress (ANC) and the Republic of South Africa, Paul Mashatile to this year’s Sinn Féin Ard Fheis.

“The Deputy President’s attendance reflects the strong, historic, and enduring relationship between our two parties, and Ireland and South Africa, through our shared aims of international solidarity, anti-racism, equality, and commitment to national self determination.

“The ANC was among the strongest international advocates for the inclusive negotiations in Ireland that were at the heart of the Irish peace process, and which led to the Good Friday Agreement and the peace we enjoy today.

“The ANC willingly and generously shared their own experiences of conflict resolution and peace building with the Sinn Féin negotiating team over many challenging years of negotiations and we are eternally grateful for their enormous wisdom, advice and contributions through difficult times. In the period since our two parties have continued to deepen our bilateral relations.

“Just as the international community stood with South Africa against apartheid, Sinn Féin and the people of Ireland stand with the Palestinian people. We fully support South Africa’s courageous International Court of Justice (ICJ) case against Israel under the genocide Convention.

“For Ireland, the mobilisation of progressive international leaders is imperative to achieve and win a referendum on Irish unity, and to assist the process of positive and managed constitutional change in Ireland.

“I am delighted, both at a political and a personal level, and deeply honoured that Deputy President, Paul Mashatile will join us at this year’s Ard Fheis. This is a very significant and concrete reflection of the ANC’s friendship with Sinn Féin, and the ANC leadership’s ongoing support for full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and Irish national self determination.”

The Deputy President will address the Ard Fheis at 12.05pm, which will be broadcast live, and the International Section at 5.45pm on Saturday September 28.