Gambiaj.com – (ARUSHA, Tanzania) – The Gambia is set to host the 54th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa Regional Conference in 2025, an event that will bring together parliamentary representatives from across the continent to foster dialogue and collaboration on pressing issues. This significant gathering will take place in the capital city of Banjul, though specific dates have yet to be announced.
This forthcoming conference follows the recently concluded 53rd CPA Africa Regional Conference held in Arusha, Tanzania, a city that welcomed over 280 delegates, including 10 National Assembly Speakers, three Deputy Speakers, and representatives from 14 out of the 19 CPA member parliaments.
The Arusha conference, inaugurated by Tanzanian Vice President Dr. Philip Mpango, focused on deepening regional parliamentary cooperation and marked a key milestone in CPA Africa’s history.
Prior to The Gambia’s hosting of the 54th CPA Conference, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Executive Committee will convene in 2025 in Seychelles. This committee, comprising 36 members from CPA’s nine regional groups and led by Acting Chairperson Fabakary Tombong Jatta, Speaker of the Gambia National Assembly, oversees the strategic direction of the association.
Jatta’s recent election as CPA Chairperson underscores The Gambia’s growing role in the association, supported by other newly elected officers, including Vice Chairperson Abdul Suleiman of Sierra Leone and Treasurer Enos Asiimwe of Uganda.
This 2025 conference will be The Gambia’s first time hosting the CPA Africa Regional Conference, highlighting its commitment to the Commonwealth and African unity. Commenting on the unity of African parliamentary delegations, South African legislator Linda Mwale expressed pride in the continent’s increasingly collective approach at international forums, showcasing a spirit of solidarity that strengthens Africa’s voice on the global stage.
Since its founding in 1911, the CPA has grown to include 19 national and 46 provincial or county parliaments in Africa alone, serving as a vital platform for member nations to collaborate on common legislative challenges. The organization, officially accredited by the Commonwealth, relocated its Africa Regional Secretariat to Tanzania in 2003, after Zimbabwe’s departure from the association.
The Gambia’s hosting of the next CPA Africa Regional Conference promises to reinforce Africa’s commitment to unity and cooperation, particularly as it faces shared challenges and opportunities within the global parliamentary landscape.
