Understanding the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association

Cameroon will as from October 2, 2014, host over 800 delegates from all over the world for eight days.

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, CPA, brings together 175 parliaments and legislatures from all continents. With a population of 2.328 billion, which is nearly a third of the world total, the Commonwealth in 2014 produced a nominal Gross Domestic Product, GDP, of 10.450 trillion US Dollars (about FCA 5,442 Trillion), representing 17 per cent of the world GDP. The organisation’s 53 member States cover 29,958,050 square kilometres - almost a quarter of the world land area.

Participation, Core Values It is from this large grouping that over 800 delegates begin meeting in Yaounde from today, October 2-10, 2014, for the 60th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference. The theme is: “Repositioning the Commonwealth for the post-2015 development agenda.”

Under its charter, the Commonwealth stands for the core values and principles of democracy, human rights, international peace and security, tolerance, respect and understanding, freedom of expression and the separation of powers.

It also works for the rule of law, good governance, sustainable development, protecting the environment, access to health, education, food and shelter, and gender equality. Other values are the importance of young people, recognition of the needs of small and vulnerable States, and the role of the civil society.

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, CPA The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, CPA, links members of national, state, provincial and territorial parliaments and legislatures across the Commonwealth. Its mission is to promote the advancement of parliamentary democracy by enhancing knowledge and understanding of democratic governance.

It seeks to build an informed parliamentary community able to deepen the Commonwealth’s democratic commitment and to further cooperation among its parliaments and legislatures.

Political System Due to their shared constitutional histories, most countries in the Commonwealth have similar legal and political systems. The Commonwealth requires its members to be functional democracies that respect human rights and the rule of law. Half of Commonwealth countries have the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy.

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association facilitates cooperation between legislatures while the Commonwealth Local Government Forum promotes good governance amongst local government officials. Most Commonwealth members use the Common Law, which is modeled after English Law. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is the Supreme Court of 14 Commonwealth countries.

Commonwealth Officials The CPA in 1989 created the constitutional posts of Patron and Vice Patron. The President and Vice President are each elected for one year by the General Assembly. The President is nominated by the branch to host the next CPC and the Vice President by the branch to host in the succeeding year.

Queen Elizabeth II, as the Head of the Commonwealth, consented to become CPC Patron. The Vice Patron is normally the Head of State or Government of the branch hosting the coming plenary conference.

The 2014 Vice Patron is President Paul Biya of Cameroon. The current Commonwealth Secretary General is Kamalesh Sharma from India.