Hertta-Maria Amutenja
The Parliament of Namibia is set to host the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa Region for the Budget Committee meeting in Windhoek from 23 to 26 January 2024.
The committee, responsible for organizing, facilitating, and formulating financial recommendations for the Association, plays a crucial role in managing the CPA’s investments.
Namibia, a member of CPA Africa, joins 63 national and subnational legislatures in the pursuit of shared goals.
Chairperson of the National Council of Namibia and current Vice-Chairperson of the CPA Africa Executive Committee Lukas Sinimbo Muha, is slated to formally inaugurate the meeting.
Delegates from five Member States will convene, including the Speakers of South Africa’s Gauteng Provincial Legislature, Ntombi Mkegwe, and KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, Nontemba Nontembeko Boyce.
Additionally, parliamentarians from Botswana, Mauritius, Nigeria, and Tanzania are expected to contribute to the discussions.
Highlighting the significance of this gathering, the Parliament of Tanzania currently hosts the Secretariat of the CPA Africa Region.
The current CPA Africa Regional Chairperson, Catherine Gotani Hara, Speaker for the Parliament of Malawi, emphasised the association’s dedication to promoting gender equality, the emancipation of women, and the principles of human rights, freedoms, democracy, and good governance.
The CPA Africa Region is geographically divided into four regions, each representing various member states. Central Africa includes Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia; East Africa comprises Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zanzibar (Sub-National Branch); Southern Africa involves Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini, and nine provincial legislatures from South Africa (Sub-national branches).
While West Africa encompasses Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and 34 state legislatures (sub-national branches) from Nigeria.
CPA, with 52 member states, seeks to promote the advancement of parliamentary democracy. It aims to enhance knowledge and understanding of democratic governance, building an informed parliamentary community and fostering cooperation among its diverse parliaments and legislatures.
“The CPA Africa Region aims to promote and protect the interests and perspectives of CPA Africa Regional Parliaments and countries, into the Commonwealth and beyond,” read the statement issued by the CPA’s Namibian Branch.
