Members of the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) joined the Mid-Year Meeting in Guwahati, Assam, India to discuss governance issues.

The two-day meeting, hosted by the Assam Legislative Assembly, the CPA Assam State Branch and the CPA India Region, took place from 9 to 10 April 2022. After four fully virtual CPA Executive Committee meetings since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, this meeting was hosted in a hybrid format for the first time ever with Speakers and Members of Parliament from across the Commonwealth joining both in-person and via video link. This was the first opportunity for CPA Executive Committee Members to convene in-person for over two years.

The CPA Executive Committee meeting was opened by the Chairperson of the CPA India Region, Hon. Om Birla MP, Speaker of the Lok Sabha of India, who said:

“On behalf of the people of India and on behalf of the Parliament of India, I welcome you all. It is a matter of pride that the CPA Executive Committee meeting is being organised in India for the first time. The CPA is a forum through which we able to share our innovations, experiences and best practices. The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association's role in giving new dimensions to parliamentary democracy is commendable. India holds a special place among democracies. Equipped with a strong democratic structure from Gram Panchayat to Parliament, democracy is integral to our lifestyle.”

The Chief Minister of Assam, Hon. Himanta Biswa Sarm, welcomed parliamentary colleagues from around the Commonwealth to the State of Assam, saying:

“I feel immensely proud that CPA Assam State Branch has the historic opportunity to host this landmark event at the Assam Legislative Assembly. Assam is delighted and proud to have you all amongst us.”

The Acting Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee, Hon. Ian Liddell-Grainger MP (UK) thanked the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and the Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly for hosting the meeting and added:

“It is wonderful to be hosted by the Assam Legislative Assembly for this CPA Executive Committee and to be able to see first-hand where the democratic functions of Assam are undertaken. I very much look forward to the conversations we’ll be having over the coming days.”

The CPA Secretary-General Stephen Twigg also attended the meetings.

The CPA Executive Committee

Find out who represents the CPA's nine Regions on the CPA Executive Committee.

Read the full list ->

The CPA Executive Committee consists of approximately 36 Members representing the nine regions of the CPA: Africa, Asia, Australia, British Islands and Mediterranean, Canada, Caribbean, Americas and the Atlantic, India, Pacific and South-East Asia.

-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.