The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Chairperson of the International Executive Committee, Dr. Christopher Kalila, MP has hailed the theme of the ongoing 54^th CPA Africa Region Conference calling it an urgent one. He was speaking during the Official Opening of the 54^th CPA Africa Region Conference in Banjul, The Gambia on 13^th August, 2025. The Conference is being held under the theme “Strengthening Democratic Governance and Resilience in Africa: Tackling conflicts, Economic Shocks, and Climate Risks”, from 10^th to 16^th August, 2025.

The Lukulu East Lawmaker stated that across the Commonwealth the fear of democratic backsliding looms large and that in the Africa Region, democracies face mounting pressure. He added that in some cases, challenges to the independence of parliaments threaten stability while in others, inequality, unemployment and misinformation feed public disillusionment. “Democracy is not a one-time event, it is a continuous process of participation, accountability and delivery and it is our role to ensure our democracies are robust enough to withstand the evolving threats I refer to”, he said.

Dr. Kalila, further urged CPA Africa Region parliamentarians to leverage the CPA Parliamentary Academy for continuous career and professional development. He said that the Academy offers both online self-paced and residency courses which are aimed at equipping parliamentarians and staff to deliver on their mandate as effectively as possible.

Speaking during the same event, the CPA Africa Region Chairperson and Speaker of the National Assembly of Malawi, Rt. Hon. Catherine Gotani Hara, MP, said that the theme of the Conference could not be more timely or relevant. She added that it is imperative that the Conference serves not only as a platform for dialogue but also as a space for coming up with solutions to the multifaceted challenges that confront the African people, “time for us to wait for others to come from other continents to sort out our problems is over, we need to have home grown solutions for our Continent” she said.

The President of the Republic of the Gambia, His Excellency Adama Barrow in his keynote address echoed the words of Speaker Hara regarding the need for Africans to come up with home grown solutions. He said that it is time for Africans to look inward and that it is the only way to move the continent to the next level.

President Barrow further emphasised the role of parliaments in democracies, he said that Parliaments are the bedrock of democracy, holding the Executive accountable, enacting progressive laws, and ensuring that public resources are managed prudently and equitably. “In The Gambia, my government remains firmly committed to upholding parliamentary independence and strengthening oversight institutions. We believe that a strong parliament is absolutely essential for a strong democracy, with entrenched accountability and transparent procedures protected”, he added.

 The 54^th CPA Africa Region Conference has featured workshops, the Annual General Meeting, the Executive Committee Meeting and sub-committee meetings among others. The Conference has also been an opportunity for the CPA Chairperson and the Secretariat to engage with some Africa Region Branches in order to enhance and strengthen their participation in the CPA. Further, member parliaments have leveraged the gathering to strengthen strategic relations among themselves.

The CPA Africa Region is one of the nine regions of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and it comprises 63 national and subnational legislatures. The Region convenes yearly for its Annual General Meeting and Conference to deliberate on matters affecting it.