Last Updated on October 28, 2020, 6:17 AM AST by Anthony Morris
Hon. Emilia Monjowa Lifaka MP, Deputy Speaker of National Assembly of Cameroon, Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee, opened the webinar and spoke of the challenging times because of the pandemic which all organisations are facing with the uncertainty and external flux of COVID-19.
The CPA Chairperson said that the CPA would prioritise its strategic objectives and would continue to work with partner organisations in the Commonwealth.
The webinar provided an opportunity for the recently appointed Stephen Twigg, CPA Secretary-General, to meet virtually with representatives of several Commonwealth organisations and external partners for discussing the upcoming work of the CPA and the new CPA Strategic Plan 2022-2025 in particular.
The CPA Secretary-General spoke about his commitment to consult and engage with as many Commonwealth partners as possible while planning for the CPA Strategic Plan.
He said that the CPA recognises the importance of consultation with organisations at the regional as well as the local level and national and international levels.
The CPA Secretary-General spoke regarding the challenging global context because of the COVID-19 and of the opportunities which new technology could bring.
Technology has the potential of engaging with a broader audience and can increase the engagement of citizens with their Parliamentarians and Parliaments.
Also, the CPA Secretary-General spoke of the critical importance for global progress of the values enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter and the Commonwealth Latimer House Principles and the CPA’s Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures that provide a framework for good governance in the Commonwealth.
Democracy, the rule of law and human rights are all fundamental principles that we must work towards achieving, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals provide us with an ambitious set of targets for the wider Commonwealth family to realise.
The webinar also held a Q&A session facilitated by the Secretary-General of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, Dr Joanna Newman MBE which saw questions from several different Commonwealth organisations including the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF), the Commonwealth Equality Network and the Commonwealth Businesswomen’s Network.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
