On 13 February 2010 the Founder and Executive Director of ACCORD, Vasu Gounden, was invited by the South African Minister of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, The Honourable Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, to attend the opening of Parliament dinner hosted in honour of the Diplomatic Corps. On the 17th of February Mr. Gounden was invited by the new South African Minister of Finance, The Honourable Mr. Pravin Gordhan, to attend the presentation of his first National Budget Speech in Parliament.