Speakers and other presiding officers from parliaments across the African continent will next week converge on Gauteng for the 19th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth Africa Region.
The theme for the conference is “Proactive Parliaments and Sustainable Development: An Imperative for Political Stability in Africa”. Delegates will discuss a variety of topics, including the role of parliaments in enhancing public trust in governance, and reforming and developing innovative mechanisms and strategies for effective and proactive parliamentary leadership in Africa’s development.
The 19th CSPOC Africa Region, which is jointly hosted by the South African Parliament and the Gauteng Provincial Legislature at Emperors Palace, will also discuss other key issues affecting the continent. These include the role of parliaments in harnessing the potential of the youth of Africa for sustainable development and leveraging technology and digital tools for effective and sustainable development.
In an official statement to announce the conference, Parliament says more than 50 African nations and heads of provincial legislatures are expected to attend this major parliamentary summit to discuss parliamentary democracy, impartiality and governance.
The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa Region is an assembly of 63 member parliaments, comprising national parliaments and provincial legislatures. As the mother body of the 63-member parliaments, the CPA Africa Region comprises nine regions, primarily established to uphold good governance, democracy and human rights among Commonwealth countries in Africa.
International participation is one of the South African Parliament’s objectives and over the years the institution has played a leading role in various regional, continental and global legislative platforms. These include the SADC Parliamentary Forum, the Pan-African Parliament; the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association; Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU); and the African, Caribbean, Pacific-European Union Forum.
Commenting recently on Parliament’s participation in multinational platforms during the Budget Vote for Parliament in the National Assembly, Speaker Thoko Didiza mentioned the successful hosting of the 11th P20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit and the 58th Plenary Assembly of the SADC Parliamentary Forum. These events have positioned South Africa as a credible and capable convener on the continental and global stage, she noted. She also announced that Parliament will host the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in September this year.
“Our history has taught us that we cannot take freedom for granted. We also know that our future is fundamentally interlinked with the other nations across Africa and the world, and for this reason, this Parliament must continue to build relationships with our partners through multilateral platforms that our Parliament participates in,” she said.
Sakhile Mokoena
10 June 2026
Arrange a tour