A delegation from Commonwealth Parliamentary Association International Headquarters met with the National Assembly of Seychelles this week as part of a CPA Benchmarks self-assessment. The CPA’s Recommended Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures provide a framework for excellence in Commonwealth parliamentary and legislative practice and were updated in 2018 to include the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG16 on strong and sustainable democratic institutions. In recent years, 36 Commonwealth Parliaments have undertaken self-assessments against the updated CPA Benchmarks. The National Assembly of Seychelles is now the 37th Commonwealth Legislature to do so. 

As part of their visit, the CPA delegation met with the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Roger Mancienne, as well as the Clerk, Tania Isaac and Deputy Clerk, Alexandria Faure. They then met with wider Members and staff from the National Assembly, a range of external stakeholders and media personnel. 

Speaking about the CPA self-assessment, Hon. Roger Mancienne said:  

“The participation of an outside partner in this Benchmark Assessment is very important. It is an essential condition to ensure objectivity and credibility. It also contributes to reliable comparison with other parliamentary institutions.

We take very seriously our duty to ensure that we evolve to achieve the highest standards. The only limitation is the resources that we can devote to enlarging the scope of attention to issues within our mandate. The Benchmark Assessment will help us to determine how we can develop in the future.” 

The Speaker also discussed the creation and implementation of an Autonomy Bill with the CPA delegation, which would provide the legal framework for the Assembly as a branch of government and improve its scope in terms of legislation, shaping national policies and enhancing general operations. 

The CPA Benchmarks self-assessment was undertaken by the Secretary-General of the People’s Majlis of Maldives, Fathimath Niusha and CPA’s Deputy Head of Programmes , Jack Hardcastle.  

Following the visit to Victoria, a Report from the CPA Benchmarks self-assessment will be formulated with Recommendations for reform to strengthen parliamentary institutions in Seychelles. The outcome Report will play an important role in developing the effectiveness of the National Assembly of Seychelles and contribute to its implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

The Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Stephen Twigg, said:  

“Effective Parliaments are one of the principal institutions of any functioning democracy. Self-assessment against the CPA Benchmarks ensures that Parliaments can vigorously scrutinise their practices and procedures to become better performing Legislatures. The process also provides an invaluable opportunity for Members, Parliamentary staff and external entities to drive change within a jurisdiction.” 

The CPA supports Parliaments to fulfil the outcomes of the self-assessments through CPA Technical Assistance Programmes which could involve updating the Legislature’s Rules of Procedure, training for Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff, or developing corporate policies and strategic plans. These project outputs will continue strengthening Legislative institutions for improved good governance across the Commonwealth. 

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. 

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) is an international community of 180 Parliaments and Legislatures working together to deepen the Commonwealth’s commitment to the highest standards of democratic governance. Founded in 1911, the CPA brings together Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff to identify benchmarks of good governance and implement the enduring values of the Commonwealth. It offers a vast opportunity for Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff to collaborate on issues of mutual interest and to share good practice.