Parliament is set to host the prestigious 66th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) from September 30th to October 6th, 2023, at the Accra International Conference Centre.
The conference, to be held under the theme “The Commonwealth Charter 10 years on: Values and Principles for Parliaments to Uphold,” is expected to bring together parliamentary leaders, legislators, and key stakeholders worldwide for a week of discussions, deliberations, and cooperation.
Clerk to Parliament and the Ghana Branch Secretary of the CPA, Mr. Cyril Nsiah, at a press conference on Tuesday 26th September 2023 unveiled details of the upcoming event, emphasizing its significance.
“The 66th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference aims to foster dialogue and cooperation among member countries to address pressing global challenges within the context of Commonwealth Values,”
“We will highlight the crucial role of parliaments in shaping policies that benefit citizens and the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in addressing these challenges,” he stated.
The CPA, founded in 1911 as the Empire Parliamentary Association and later transformed into the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in 1948, boasts 181 national and sub-branches across the Commonwealth’s nine regions. This year’s conference marks the 17th time the CPA Africa Region has hosted the CPC.
The 7-day conference is expected to draw approximately 600 delegates, observers, and officials from 56 National Branches (National Legislatures) and 111 Sub-National Branches (State/Provincial Legislatures) across the Commonwealth.
The event will run concurrently with other conferences, meetings, and workshops, including the 66th CPA General Assembly, meetings of the CPA Executive Committee, the 39th CPA Small Branches Conference, gatherings of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, and more.
The official opening ceremony, scheduled for Wednesday, October 4th, 2023, will be held under the patronage of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Vice-Patron of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association,
Throughout the conference, workshops will cover topics such as security, human rights, environment, economy, gender, and more. Notably, Ghana’s workshop will focus on “Combating the threat of terrorism to Statehood: the Role of Parliament.”
Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, who is the President of the Association will preside over the General Assembly on Thursday, 5th October 2023, and also chair the Elections Committee of the Association.
Speaker Bagbin is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Association and will participate in the deliberations at the Meeting of the Executive Committee.
In memory of Hon. Emilia Monjowa Lifaka, a former Deputy Speaker of Cameroon and a passionate champion of the CPA, an inaugural lecture will take place on Monday, October 2nd, 2023, at the Accra International Conference Centre. Open to the public, the lecture will pay tribute to her legacy.