Home
BRINGING PARLIAMENTARIANS TOGETHER
The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association or CPA is an active network of over 17,000 parliamentarians from Commonwealth Parliaments and Legislatures. Through dialogue, it seeks to foster co-operation and understanding between Parliaments, promote good parliamentary practice and advance parliamentary democracy.
Every Commonwealth legislature that joins the CPA is invited to form an autonomous CPA branch. This includes not only national legislatures, but state, provincial and territorial legislatures. A truly global body, the CPA currently comprises 175 Branches over 6 continents and in 54 countries worldwide.
UNITED BY COMMON VALUES
Since 1911, the CPA has been the voice of parliamentary democracy throughout the Commonwealth. Members are united by their respect for the rule of law, individual rights and freedom, and their commitment to strengthening parliamentary democracy.
CPA UK – LINKING WESTMINSTER TO THE WORLD
CPA UK is one of the most active branches in the CPA community and delivers a unique annual programme both in Westminster and overseas. Governed by an Executive Committee of parliamentarians from all main parties, CPA UK works to encourage parliamentary diplomacy and parliamentary strengthening on behalf of the UK Parliament and the wider CPA.
By becoming a member of CPA UK, parliamentarians become part of a unique network of parliamentary colleagues from around the globe. Through activities including conferences, seminars and delegations, this network offers the opportunity to deepen understanding of international issues and to explore first-hand the challenges facing fellow parliamentarians across the Commonwealth.
The knowledge gained through involvement in CPA UK activities provides members with a practical and current perspective on international issues. This equips them to better scrutinise Government action on foreign affairs and international development issues, and can inform debates in the House. In many cases it also enhances members' understanding of issues facing diaspora communities in the UK. CPA UK activities often serves as a launch-pad for coordinated international action between parliamentarians, laying the foundations for long-lasting positive relationships between individuals, committees and All Party Parliamentary Groups. The continuing important work of CPA UK will provide the foundations of a new international relations directorate to be established in Parliament.
CPA UK's WORK
A practical approach to international relations
In recognising that no single parliament or country can claim a monopoly on effective policy decisions or best parliamentary practice, CPA UK places a great emphasis on the fluid exchange of ideas and experiences. Events are designed to encourage free dialogue between all participants and CPA UK considers all voices in discussion equally – be they UK-based or international.
Commonwealth Delegations
CPA UK regularly hosts delegations from other Commonwealth parliaments. We design an intensive programme of meetings and visits for the delegation based on their requested areas of interest.
Similarly, CPA UK is regularly invited to send Westminster delegations to visit Commonwealth countries and their parliaments. Programmes are organised by the host parliament and its CPA branch, and are founded upon a core set of objectives defined by the delegation members themselves. Issues explored in the programmes vary, but often centre on international trade, development challenges, and capacity-building. Through Commonwealth delegations, CPA UK works to facilitate positive bilateral relations with UK and overseas parliamentarians.
The Westminster Seminar
Now in its sixtieth year, the CPA UK Westminster Seminar is a ten-day event designed to explore recent developments in parliamentary practice and procedure. With up to 80 delegates from Commonwealth legislatures, the programme attracts new MPs and officials who want to learn more about the developments in Westminster models of democracy. Through discussion sessions with UK Members and senior Westminster officials, workshops, and constituency visits, delegates are exposed to a wide-range of issues that help to build their professional capacity and enable them to better understand the challenges facing their Commonwealth colleagues.
The Governance Seminar
The two-week CPA UK Governance Seminar gathers international delegates to explore different issues around the ‘process of governing' – whether in their own countries, in the UK, in Europe or internationally. The programme includes discussions with UK Members, MEPs and subject experts from key organisations and academic institutions. To provide delegates with a comprehensive programme, sessions take place in Westminster, Brussels, a devolved legislature in the UK, and locally at city councils and in constituencies.
Thematic Conferences
CPA UK also holds one international parliamentary conference each year. Each conference focuses on a key policy issue of the day with the aim of building the capacity of its delegates to scrutinize legislation and provide current and timely recommendations. Previous conferences have examined the role of parliamentarians in peacebuilding, human trafficking and migration, and the effectiveness of international aid. CPA UK conference programmes attract a range of high-level speakers, including Heads of State and senior policy experts. The next thematic conference will take place in July this year and will explore the issue of climate change post-Copenhagen and addresses how parliamentarians can continue to work to mitigate its effects.
Parliamentary Strengthening
The growth area of CPA UK's business is running programmes to strengthen the capacity of parliaments, parliamentarians and officials in several Commonwealth countries. Programmes are established in response to a request by a parliament and are tailored to specific needs. CPA UK runs parliamentary strengthening programmes in Bangladesh, Botswana, Brunei, Guyana, Kenya, Pakistan, Rwanda, the Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Zambia. CPA UK's USP is our ability to bring together those who work in Parliament to deliver high quality capacity-building programmes and activities; hosting workshops and arranging secondments at Westminster, or sending UK Members and/or officials with particular expertise out to the partner country.
Election Observing
With the aim to play a meaningful role in advancement of parliamentary democracy, CPA UK participates in election observation programmes in Commonwealth countries. Most recently, CPA UK worked in partnership with the Royal Commonwealth Society to facilitate the first ever Commonwealth observation team to a UK general election. A hands-on programme was designed for the observers---a mix of young MPs and civil society activists from Commonwealth countries---that gave them insight into the way elections are run in the UK. The observers also provided feedback and thoughts on how the UK system might be improved, sparking a series of debates which were featured extensively in national and international press.
Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference
Each year the CPA holds an annual Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference. Attended by delegations from each member legislature, some 600 parliamentarians gather together to exchange views on global political issues and developments in the parliamentary system.
The conference takes place in a different country each year. In 2011 CPA UK will host the event, which also coincides with the centennial celebrations of the Association.
WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP
Outside Westminster, CPA UK works with a diverse range of organisations in order to deliver our programme. These include the UN Development Programme, the World Bank, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, DfID, the National Audit Office, ODI, the Electoral Commission and the City of London.
We are also a member of The Westminster Consortium for Parliaments and Democracy. Established in 2009 to help developing parliaments create their own sustainable centres of learning for staff and members, the Consortium comprises leading experts in the fields of parliamentary practice, financial oversight and communications. Its programmes run in five countries around the world – Ukraine, Georgia, Lebanon, Mozambique and Uganda. The Consortium is a DfID-funded project and also includes the Overseas Office in the House of Commons, the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, the National Audit Office, Essex University, the International Bar Association, Reuters Thomson Foundation and Cardiff University.
WORKING REGIONALLY
CPA branches are divided into nine geographic regions, and each region engages in its own programme of activities to strengthen regional ties.
CPA UK is part of the British Isles and Mediterranean Region or BIMR. The CPA UK Secretary also acts as the Secretary of the BIMR, and its Secretariat is co-located within the CPA UK office. The BIMR holds an annual conference each year and uses this conference to explore key policy issues in detail. Recent conferences have looked at equality and human rights, the financial downturn, climate change and digital technology.
Other BIMR CPA branches include: Cyprus, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Malta, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The three sovereign States represented in the BIMR - Cyprus, Malta and the UK, are the only Commonwealth members in the EU and all MEPs from these countries form an active Friends of the Commonwealth Group in the European Parliament.
CPA UK FELLOWSHIP SCHEME
The CPA UK Fellowship Scheme offers financial assistance to UK Members wishing to undertake research or study overseas. Since its inception the Scheme has assisted Members to complete projects on a diverse range of issues including climate change, poverty reduction and the role of digital media. Members must apply for the scheme with a fully costed proposal and are required to present a report of their work upon return to the UK.
GET INVOLVED
There are a number of ways to become involved with CPA UK. For more information on any of our activities, or to discuss possible opportunities please contact us; we want to hear from you.
Andrew Tuggey
Secretary
CPA UK
Westminster Hall
Houses of Parliament
London SW1A 0AA
Telephone: +44 20 7219 5373
Email: cpa@parliament.uk
Website: www.parliament.uk/cpauk
Please view the CPA UK website.
