Pretoria – The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) has requested an additional R750 million from National Treasury in the mid-term budget process.
It is still awaiting a response from the National Treasury in this regard.
The Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation has emphasised the need for Dirco to use its resources sparingly.
The department highlighted the depreciating rand as its main budget challenge during a briefing to the committee on quarter one expenditure.
It revealed that currency fluctuation challenge was budgeted at R13 per dollar this year but the rand has since depreciated beyond that.
The committee has committed to supporting a request for additional funding.
The Chairperson of the Committee, Bheki Radebe, acknowledged the challenge posed by a depreciating rand on the departmental budget.
“The Committee supports additional funds for Dirco to mitigate risks associated with the rand’s depreciation on the department’s budget. It is important that Dirco’s programmes are not stalled on account of currency fluctuation,” said Radebe.
“Parliament needs to ensure that the important programmes and projects of the department abroad are not compromised.” - SAnews.gov.za
