The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Executive Committee has held its Mid-Year meetings on 12 and 13 May 2025 chaired by the Chairperson of the Executive Committee, Hon. Dr Christopher Kalila, MP (Zambia) in London, UK.

CPA Executive Committee Members discussed key governance issues and planning for the year ahead including updates to the CPA’s legal status, financial reporting and future activities, such as the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference due to be held in Barbados in October this year.

The CPA Executive Committee represents the nine regions of the CPA - Africa; Asia; Australia; British Islands and Mediterranean; Canada; Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic; India; Pacific; South-East Asia.

The Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee said:

“The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association provides a unique platform for inter-parliamentary dialogue to take place amongst its membership of 180 Member Parliaments and Legislatures. We look forward to furthering the CPA’s work in strengthening parliamentary democracy across the Commonwealth supported by the CPA Headquarters Secretariat.”

Meetings of the Finance Subcommittee and the Planning & Review Subcommittee were held and the CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg briefed CPA Executive Committee Members and met with the CPA Regional Secretaries representing eight of the nine CPA Regions across the Commonwealth.

CPA Executive Committee Members were also welcomed to the UK Parliament by the Speaker of the UK House of Commons and Joint CPA UK Branch President, Rt Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, MP who said:

“The CPA Executive Committee represent the strength and diversity of our Commonwealth family spanning multiple continents and cultures.”

The CPA Executive Committee comprises 38 Members representing the nine regions of the CPA - Africa; Asia; Australia; British Islands and Mediterranean; Canada; Caribbean, Americas and the Atlantic; India; Pacific; South-East Asia as well as the Officers of the Association (CPA President, CPA Vice-President, Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee, CPA Vice-Chairperson, CPA Treasurer and the Chairpersons of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP), the CPA Small Branches and the Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD)).

The Members and alternates attending the CPA Executive Committee meeting were: 

• CPA Chairperson: Hon. Dr Christopher Kalila, MP (Zambia)
• CPA Vice-Chairperson: Hon. Carmel Sepuloni, MP (New Zealand)
• CPA Treasurer: Hon. Anurag Sharma, MP (Lok Sabha, India)
• CWP Chairperson: Hon. Dr Zainab Gimba, MP (Nigeria) - virtual
• CPA Small Branches Chairperson: Hon. Valerie Woods, Speaker of Belize National Assembly - virtual
• CPwD Chairperson: Hon. Laura Kanushu, MP (Uganda)

CPA AFRICA REGION:

• Hon. Tolulope Sadipe, MP (Nigeria)
• Hon. Marwick Khumalo, MP (Eswatini)
• Hon. Mary Muyali Boya, MP (Cameroon)

CPA ASIA REGION:

• Hon. Ahmed Nazim, Deputy Speaker, (The Maldives)

CPA AUSTRALIA REGION:

• Senator Hon. Sue Lines, President of the Australian Senate
• Hon. Pat Weir, MP, Speaker of the Queensland Parliament
• Hon. Mark Shelton, MHA (Tasmania)

CPA BRITISH ISLANDS AND MEDITERRANEAN REGION:

• Hon. Stuart McMillan, MSP (Scotland)
• Deputy Mary Le Hegarat (Jersey)
• Rt Hon. David Mundell, MP (United Kingdom)

CPA CANADA REGION:

• Senator Hon. Rosemary Moodie (Canada Federal)
• Hon. Raj Chouhan, MLA, Speaker of the British Colombia Legislative Assembly - virtual

CPA CARIBBEAN, AMERICAS AND THE ATLANTIC REGION:

• Hon. Arthur Holder, MP, Speaker of the Parliament of Barbados
• Senator Hon. Dessima Williams, President of the Grenada Senate
• Hon. Dennis Patrick Lister, JP, MP, Speaker of the Bermuda House of Assembly

CPA INDIA REGION:

• Hon. Biswajit Daimary, MLA, Speaker of the Assam Assembly - virtual
• Hon. Shri Vishnu Dutt Sharma, MP, (India Union) - virtual
• Hon. Ritu Khanduri Bhushan, MLA, Speaker of the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly - virtual

CPA PACIFIC REGION:

• Hon. Tina Pupuke Browne, MP (Cook Islands)
• Hon. Dulcie Tei, MP (Tonga)

CPA SOUTH-EAST ASIA REGION:

• Hon. Dr Noraini Ahmad, MP (Malaysia)

-ENDS-

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association connects, develops, promotes and supports Parliamentarians and their staff to identify benchmarks of good governance and the implementation of the enduring values of the Commonwealth. The CPA is an international community of around 180 Commonwealth Parliaments and Legislatures working together to deepen the Commonwealth’s commitment to the highest standards of democratic governance.

For media enquiries, please contact communications@cpahq.org.