Shaath headed to South Africa on Monday to participate in the Congress of the Socialist International, which takes place every four years, a Fatah statement said.
Shaath, his deputy Abdullah Abdullah and the Palestinian ambassador in Johannesburg Ali Halima met with leaders of parties participating in the congress and discussed Palestinian political developments.
The Socialist International is the worldwide organization of social democratic, socialist and labor parties and currently brings together 161 political parties and organizations from all continents, its website says.
In early August, PA Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki told reporters in Ramallah that the PA would ask to be made a non-member observer state at the UN General Assembly on Sept. 27.