Parliament of the Republic of South Africa will host the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) in Cape Town from 13 to 18 September 2026, bringing together parliamentary leaders, legislators and officials from across the Commonwealth for one of the world's premier parliamentary gatherings.
Organised by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), the conference will be held under the theme: "Strengthening International Law and Parliamentary Democracy in a Changing World Order: Commonwealth Leadership."
The six-day conference will convene Speakers of Parliament, Members of Parliament, parliamentary officials and governance experts from the CPA's nine geographical regions: Africa, Asia, Australia, the British Islands and the Mediterranean, Canada, the Caribbean, the Americas and the Atlantic, India, and South Asia.
Established in 1911, the CPA is an international organisation dedicated to advancing parliamentary democracy, good governance and cooperation among Commonwealth legislatures by strengthening institutional capacity, promoting knowledge-sharing and fostering collaboration.
Hosting the 69th CPC represents an important milestone for South Africa's Parliament and reinforces the country's commitment to parliamentary diplomacy and multilateral engagement. The conference will provide a platform for high-level dialogue on global governance, democracy, international law and sustainable development, while showcasing Parliament's constitutional role and South Africa's contribution to strengthening democratic institutions across the Commonwealth.
Conference Programme
The conference programme will include a range of high-level meetings, workshops and specialised forums aimed at promoting inclusive, effective and responsive parliamentary governance. Highlights include:
- 2026 CPA General Assembly and General Debate.
- Meetings of the CPA Executive Committee.
- Interactive Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference workshops.
- The 42nd CPA Small Branches Conference.
- The 10th Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Conference.
- Meetings of the Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities.
- The 60th Conference of the Society of Clerks-at-the-Table (SoCATT).
- Presentation of the 2026 Commonwealth Parliamentarian of the Year Awards.
- The 4th CPA Emilia Monjowa Lifaka Lecture.
Media Accreditation
Members of the media are invited to apply for accreditation to cover the conference.
Media organisations and freelance journalists wishing to attend the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference must submit their accreditation applications by 17:00 on Friday, 28 August 2026 using the designated online application form.
Accreditation link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/j1wjLiGLXP
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