Parliament of Eswatini signs MoU with CPA to continue its parliamentary reforms following Benchmarks assessment

The President of the Senate of Eswatini and Joint CPA Eswatini Branch President, Senator Hon. Lindiwe Dlamini has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on behalf of the Parliament of Eswatini with the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Stephen Twigg to continue its parliamentary reforms in line with the CPA’s Recommended Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures.

Above: The President of the Senate of Eswatini, Senator Hon. Lindiwe Dlamini and the CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The signing took place during a visit to Westminster on 2 April 2025.

In September 2024, the Parliament of Eswatini undertook a self-assessment of the Legislature against the CPA’s Benchmarks resulting in an outcomes report which provided recommendations to strengthen the governance, independence and administration of the Parliament.

The outcomes report also plays an important role in developing the effectiveness of the Parliament of Eswatini and contributes to its implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Parliament of Eswatini was supported during the self-assessment by a CPA delegation which included parliamentary staff from the Western Cape Provincial Parliament. The assessment included an extensive consultation with a large cross-section of stakeholders, including the Speaker of the House of Assembly and the President of the Senate, current and former Members as well as representatives of Eswatini’s Government, various national agencies, civil society groups and media personnel.

The CPA Secretary-General said:

“Effective Parliaments are the cornerstone of good governance, and the CPA works to ensure that Legislatures can function to their maximum potential. Self-assessment against the CPA Benchmarks ensures that Parliaments can vigorously scrutinise their practices and procedures to become better performing Legislatures and the ongoing support provided by the CPA through our Technical Assistance Programmes can further strengthen parliamentary processes and confidence.”

The CPA Benchmarks self-assessment was supported with funding from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

UPDATE (May 2025): CPA Benchmarks Report for the Parliament of Eswatini

Following the visit to Eswatini, a final Outcomes Report has been published with recommendations for reform to strengthen parliamentary institutions in Niue. The Outcomes Report will play an important role in developing the effectiveness of the Parliament and contribute to its implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs.)

To find out more about this project please email hq.sec@cpahq.org. The CPA's Recommended Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures are also available to download from the CPA website.