The CPA annual conference took place at the 66th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) hosted by the Parliament of Ghana and the CPA Ghana Branch in Accra, Ghana from 30 September to 6 October 2023. 

During the 66th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, there were also be a number of additional conferences and meetings including: 

• 39th CPA Small Branches Conference
• Meetings of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) and Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD)
• 66th CPA General Assembly
• meetings of the CPA Executive Committee
• 57th Society of Clerks at the Table (SoCATT) meeting.

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Related Resources

Conference Concluding Statement

The Parliamentarian: Ghana Supplement

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One of the largest annual gatherings of Commonwealth Parliamentarians took place at the 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) hosted by the CPA Canada Region in Halifax, Canada from 20 to 26 August 2022. 

During the 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, there were also a number of additional conferences and meetings including: 

• 38th CPA Small Branches Conference
• 7th triennial conference of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP)
• 65th CPA General Assembly
• meetings of the CPA Executive Committee
• Society of Clerks at the Table (SoCATT) meetings.

The annual conference also held elections for the Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee; the Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians; the Chairperson of the CPA Small Branches; and the CPA Treasurer for new terms of office.

Please visit the 65th CPC Hub for further information, news, workshop resources and images.

Related Resources

65th CPC Conference Programme

Conference Concluding Statement

The Parliamentarian: Canada Supplement

The Parliamentarian: 65th CPC Issue

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One of the largest annual gatherings of Commonwealth Parliamentarians took place from 22 to 29 September 2019 at the 64th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) hosted by the CPA Uganda Branch and the Parliament of Uganda. The conference was hosted by the CPA President Designate (2018-2019), Rt Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda.

The main conference theme was: ‘Adaption, engagement, and evolution of parliaments in a rapidly changing Commonwealth’. 

The CPA flagship event brought together over 500 Parliamentarians, parliamentary staff and decision makers from across the Commonwealth for this unique conference and networking opportunity. The CPC offered the prospect of the coming together of the CPA’s global membership of Parliamentarians and Parliamentary staff to address the critical issues facing today’s Parliaments.

During the 64th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, there were also a number of additional conferences and meetings including: 37th CPA Small Branches Conference; 6th triennial Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Conference; 64th CPA General Assembly; meetings of the CPA Executive Committee; and the Society of Clerks at the Table (SOCATT) meetings. The conference held elections for the Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP), the CPA Treasurer and the CPA Small Branches Chairperson for new three-year terms.

Related Resources

64th CPC Conference Programme

Conference Concluding Statement

The Parliamentarian: 64th CPC Issue

The Parliamentarian: Uganda Supplement

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Keynote Speeches

• The President of the Republic of Uganda and Vice-Patron of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), His Excellency Yoweri K. Museveni
• The Goodwill message to the conference from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Patron of the CPA and Head of the Commonwealth.
• CPA President (2018-2019), Rt Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda
• The Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee, Hon. Emilia Monjowa Lifaka, MP, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Cameroon
• The CPA Secretary-General, Mr Akbar Khan sent a message to delegates to the 64th CPC.
• The Acting CPA Secretary-General, Mr Jarvis Matiya also delivered a speech at the opening of the CPA conference in Uganda.

The 63rd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) took place in November 2017 hosted by the CPA Bangladesh Branch and the Parliament of Bangladesh. The annual flagship event brought together over 500 Parliamentarians, parliamentary staff and decisionmakers from across the Commonwealth for this unique conference and networking opportunity.

The overall main conference theme for the 63rd CPC was ‘Continuing to enhance the high standards of performance of Parliamentarians’.

The CPA President and outgoing Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee, Hon. Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, MP, Speaker of the Parliament of Bangladesh, hosted the 63rd CPC, which took place from 1 to 8 November 2017 (inclusive of arrival and departure dates) in Dhaka, Bangladesh. 

The conference programme included two plenaries and eight workshops, with some workshops including presentations by experts from international organisations. Included in the workshops was one selected by the Host Branch, one on a Gender-related theme and one topic from the topics submitted by Small Branches.

During the 63rd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, there were also be a number of additional conferences and meetings including: 36th Small Branches Conference; meetings of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP); CPA Executive Committee; CPA General Assembly including the Election of the Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee.

Related Resources

Conference Concluding Statement for 63rd CPC

The Parliamentarian: 63rd CPC Issue

The Parliamentarian: Bangladesh Supplement

The Chairperson of the CPA International Executive Committee, Hon. Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury MP, Speaker of the Parliament of Bangladesh urged Commonwealth Parliamentarians to work together to find common solutions to global issues as she opened the 62^nd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in London, United Kingdom from 11 to 17 December 2016.

The main conference theme for 2016 at the annual event was: A Collaborative Commonwealth: Unity, Diversity and Common Challenges. Workshops and debates were held during the conference on a wide range of topics including the role of the Commonwealth in fostering freedom of religion or belief; ending violence against women and girls; the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); Climate Change; and the radicalisation of young people.

During the 62nd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, there were also a number of additional conferences and meetings including: 35th Small Branches Conference; meetings of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP); CPA Executive Committee; CPA General Assembly.

Related Resources

Conference Concluding Statement for 62nd CPC

The Parliamentarian: 62nd CPC Issue

The 61st General Assembly and Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) was held from 30 September to 6 October 2015 in London, United Kingdom.

The CPA Chairperson, Hon. Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury MP, Speaker of the Parliament of Bangladesh
chaired the CPA Executive Committee meetings in London with the Executive Committee Members representing the nine regions of the CPA - Africa, Asia, Australia, British Islands & Mediterranean, Canada, Caribbean, Americas & Atlantic, India, Pacific and South East Asia.

Following the main Executive Committee Meeting, the Members were reconstituted as the 61st CPA General Assembly to receive the CPA Annual Reports and to conduct the governance-related matters relating to the Association including the appointment of the new Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.

*No CPC was held in 2015.

60th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference - Yaoundé, Cameroon - 2 to 10 October 2014

Main theme: 'Repositioning the Commonwealth for the post-2015 Development Agenda’

The 60th annual Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) was hosted by the Parliament of Cameroon and considered the role of the Commonwealth in the setting of the post-2015 Development Agenda. Members and officials considered solutions to issues affecting the Parliaments and Legislatures of the Commonwealth's nations, states, provinces and territories, many of whom were represented in Cameroon.

The conference also included the 34th CPA Small Branches Conference, meetings of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians and their Steering Committee, as well as meetings of the CPA Executive Committee and the CPA General Assembly.

The CPA's journal, The Parliamentarian, featured reports of the plenary and workshops from the main conference, along with opening ceremony speeches and addresses to delegates.

Related Resources

Conference Concluding Statement for 60th CPC

The Parliamentarian: 60th CPC Issue

59th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference - Johannesburg, South Africa - 28 August to 6 September 2013

Conference theme: 'Effective Solutions to Commonwealth Developmental Challenges'

The 59th annual Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), hosted by the Parliament of South Africa, put forward policy alternatives to resolve global problems. More than 400 Members and officials considered solutions to issues affecting the close to 150 Parliaments and Legislatures of Commonwealth nations, states, provinces and territories which were represented in South Africa.

The conference also included: the two-day 33rd CPA Small Branches Conference, the Commonwealth
Women Parliamentarians Conference and meetings of their Steering Committee, as well as meetings of the CPA Executive Committee and the CPA General Assembly.

The CPA's journal, The Parliamentarian, featured the plenary and workshop reports from the main conference along with the opening ceremony speeches and addresses to delegates.

Related Resources

Conference Concluding Statement for 59th CPC

The Parliamentarian: 59th CPC Issue

58th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference - Colombo, Sri Lanka - 7 to 15 September 2012

Conference theme: 'Ensuring a Relevant Commonwealth for the Future'

The 58th annual Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), hosted by the Parliament of Sri Lanka, put forward policy alternatives to resolve global problems. More than 500 Members and officials considered solutions to issues affecting the close to 150 Parliaments and Legislatures of Commonwealth nations, states, provinces and territories which were represented in Sri Lanka.

The conference also included: the two-day 32nd CPA Small Branches Conference, meetings of Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians and of their Steering Committee, as well as meetings of the CPA Executive Committee and the CPA General Assembly.

The CPA's journal, The Parliamentarian, featured the plenary and workshop reports from the main conference along with the opening ceremony speeches and addresses to delegates.

Related Resources

The Parliamentarian: 58th CPC Issue

57th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference - London, United Kingdom - 21 to 28 July 2011

Conference theme: 'Reinforcing Democracy'

The 57th annual Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), hosted by the United Kingdom Parliament, put forward policy alternatives to resolve global problems as over 600 Members and officials considered solutions to issues affecting the approximately 175 Parliaments and Legislatures of Commonwealth nations, states, provinces and territories.

The conference – which marked the centennial year of the association – also included: the two-day CPA Small Branches Conference, a meeting of Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, the 48th Society-of-Clerks-at-the-Table meeting, as well as meetings of the CPA Executive Committee and the CPA General Assembly.

The CPA's journal, The Parliamentarian, featured the plenary and workshop reports from the main conference along with the opening ceremony speeches and addresses to delegates.

Related Resources

Conference Concluding Statement for 57th CPC

The Parliamentarian: 57th CPC Issue

56th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference - 10 to 19 September 2010 - Nairobi, Kenya

Conference theme: 'Parliament and Development in the 21st century: Thus far and beyond'

The 56th annual Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), hosted by the Parliament of Kenya, put forward policy alternatives to resolve global problems as over 800 Members and officials considered solutions to issues affecting the approximately 175 Parliaments and Legislatures of Commonwealth nations, states, provinces and territories.

The conference also included: the two-day CPA Small Branches Conference, a one-day Conference of Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, as well as meetings of the CPA Executive Committee and the CPA General Assembly.

The CPA's journal, The Parliamentarian, featured the plenary and workshop reports from the main conference along with the opening ceremony speeches and addresses to delegates.

Related Resources

The Parliamentarian: 56th CPC Issue