STEPHEN TWIGG | A crucial global moment for Commonwealth MPs - TimesLIVE

AI Parliamentarians come together in Cape Town this week for the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC). The conference, hosted by South Africa’s parliament and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), will convene hundreds of legislators and parliamentary officials from across the world to discuss some of the most urgent global challenges, and exchange ideas and best practice.

This is not the first CPC that has been hosted in South Africa. The 59th CPC in 2013 was held in Johannesburg. Welcoming delegates to that conference, the then chair of the National Council of Provinces, Mninwa Johannes Mahlangu, noted that “peace, security and stability are prerequisites for socio-economic development” and “the CPA should… continue to work… to promote peace in the world”. That message feels even more urgent and relevant today.

As the number of conflicts around the world increases, and mediation and peacebuilding efforts stall, global co-operation is vital to reverse that trend, and the Commonwealth has an important part to play.

In recognition of this, the CPA has this year established a new committee on human rights & peace, where representatives from across the nine regions of the CPA can debate these issues and take collective action. One area where parliamentarians have a particular role is in the defence of international law, which is why the theme of this year’s conference, “Strengthening international law and parliamentary democracy in a changing world order: Commonwealth leadership”, is so timely.

Around the world, democracies also face other growing pressures: economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, technological disruption, disinformation and declining public trust. All have a profound impact at home. Parliamentarians have an essential role to play in ensuring governments are taking robust action, by scrutinising government action, ensuring public money is spent responsibly, protecting democratic principles and providing a platform for citizens’ voices to be heard.

International co-operation between parliamentarians is essential in pursuing these aims. Many of the issues facing citizens today do not stop at national borders. Climate change, migration, economic insecurity, cyber threats and the implications of AI are challenges shared across continents. No parliament can address them alone.

The Commonwealth provides a unique platform for these issues to be discussed, where countries of different sizes and circumstances can learn from one another. Larger nations and smaller jurisdictions alike bring valuable experiences and perspectives. The exchange of ideas and best practices strengthens democratic institutions across our family of nations and is the backbone of our global gatherings.

Another area where parliamentarians can learn from each other is in ensuring that our democracies are genuinely inclusive. This year the CPA has run its first campaign, on disability rights, with the aim of supporting legislatures to enshrine those rights in law — something that will continue to be central to our work. The CPA is also focused on ensuring that persons with disabilities can participate fully in public life, which includes ensuring that parliament buildings are accessible to all.

Ensuring women are able to play their full part in public life remains a key priority for the CPA and its membership.

All our networks — Commonwealth women parliamentarians, Commonwealth parliamentarians with disabilities and CPA small branches (jurisdictions with populations of less than 1-million), work to ensure that political institutions better reflect the communities they serve. Democracies are strongest when all citizens can participate and when a diversity of experiences informs decision-making.

It is vital to consider how young people can be actively involved in the decisions that shape their lives. Home to 2.7-billion people, with about 60% younger than 30, the Commonwealth will be shaped by the opportunities we create for younger generations. Young people are looking to democratic institutions to respond to the issues that matter most to them: jobs, education, housing, technological change and climate resilience. We will be actively involving young people at the CPC this week, and we look forward to their contribution.

South Africa’s own constitutional framework has long recognised the importance of equality, human dignity and representation. Cape Town is therefore a fitting venue for the discussions happening this week. Delegates arriving from across the Commonwealth will meet in a city where history, diversity and democratic change come together.

Three decades after the advent of constitutional democracy, South Africa remains one of the most important democratic voices in the Global South. Its parliament stands as a symbol of a remarkable national transformation and of the belief that democratic institutions can help societies confront difficult histories while building a more inclusive future.

I hope delegates attending this week’s gathering in South Africa will leave with fresh ideas, stronger relationships and renewed determination to serve the people who elected them.