About 600 delegates from the 56 Commonwealth countries are to converge on Accra, Ghana, from September 30 to October 6, 2023, as it hosts the 66th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) conference.
The delegates would include observers and accompanying officials from the 56 National Legislatures, and 111 State/Provincial Legislatures.
It would be under the patronage of the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, who also doubles as the President of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
The conference, which would take place at the Accra International Conference Centre, would be on the theme: ‘The Commonwealth Charter 10 years on: Values and Principles for Parliaments to Uphold.’
The conference is aimed at fostering dialogue and cooperation among member countries, to address pressing global challenges within the context of Commonwealth values.
The meeting would also emphasise the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in addressing challenges and highlight the role of parliament in shaping policies that benefit their citizens.
On the side of the General Assembly, would be the meeting of the CPA Executive Committee, the 39th CPA Small Branches Conference, Conference of Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities, Society of Clerks at the Table and the 2023 Commonwealth Parliamentarian of the Year award.
Clerk to Parliament of Ghana, Cyril Nsiah, at a media briefing in Accra on Tuesday, said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo would open the conference.
“The opening ceremony will be followed by workshops to discuss various topics relating to security, human rights, environment, economy, gender and other cross-cutting issues.
“Host nation’s workshop which will be organised by Ghana will deliberate on the topic: Combating the threat of terrorism to Statehood: the Role of Parliament. We have invited the Hon. Minister of National Security to lead discussions on the topic,” Mr Nsiah explained.
He said prior to the official opening of the conference, there would be an inaugural lecture on October 2, 2023, in memory of Emilia Monjowa Lifaka, a former Deputy Speaker of Cameroon, who was a passionate champion of the CPA and served as CPA Chairperson from November, 2017, until her demise in April, 2021.
“The Lecture, which is to pay tribute to her, is opened to the general public. A paper will be presented by Ms Betty Abeng, Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth Education Trust, with Dr Leslie Casely-Hayford, a Ghana-based international education development expert as the discussant,” Mr Nsiah said.
According to him, as part of efforts to promote and showcase Ghana’s natural resource endowments, history, culture, and traditions, delegates would pay a visit to the Cape Coast Castle and the Kakum National Park.
A cultural durbur at Manyhia Palace, a visit to the Akosombo Dam and a boat cruise to Dodi Island and Bisa Aberewa Museum, Mr Nsiah said have been earmarked to expose the visiting delegates to the country.
The CPA, founded in 1911, as the Empire Parliamentary Association, now comprises 181 national and sub-branches across the nine regions of the Commonwealth.
The Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC), an annual event of the CPA, was first held in the United Kingdom in 1948, and became an annual event in 1961.
Ghana’s hosting of the 66th CPC marks the 17th time the CPA Africa Region is hosting the conference.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI