Issued by: Gauteng Legislature
Commonwealth Parliamentarians have pledged to apply the democratic ideals of the Commonwealth to help the global community to overcome differences by following the South African example of tackling problems through discussion and consensus rather than confrontation and conflict.
The commitment, set by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Executive Committee meeting in late April in Cape Town, takes up the challenge of Commonwealth Heads of Government to the 14,000 Members of the CPA to use their domestic democratic experience to seek ways to achieve international consensus on divisive issues. The Committee agreed this course of action in setting an agenda for the 42nd Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference t be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in August.
The Committee agreed that the more than 250 parliamentary representatives at the Conference would focus debate on global issues under the central theme of:
FACILITATING CONSENSUS-BUILDING IN DEALING WITH GLOBAL ISSUES: THE ROLE OF THE COMMONWEALTH AND ITS PARLIAMENTARIANS
Parliamentarians will be asked to subject some of today's most critical international issues to intensive scrutiny so they can detail ways in which the Commonwealth can lead the world to a more peaceful and prosperous future, as proposed by Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in New Zealand last November.
Issues to be discussed at the Kuala Lumpur Conference include:
A further discussion will also seek ways in which the Commonwealth can improve the understanding of its role in the world community among citizens of its own member countries.
In announcing the Conference agenda, the Chairman of the Executive Committee, Sir Colin Shepherd, MP, a Member of the United KIngdom House of Commons, praised South Africa for showing the world that the Commonwealth way of dealing with issues and problems through democratic debate and consensus can work.
"The progress of South Africa in building a non-racial parliamentary democracy which enables everyone to participate in their government is an inspiration to the world," he said. "The rainbow nation of South Africa is living proof that the rainbow Commonwealth can lead the world to a new era of peace and prosperity which can be enjoyed by everyone."
The President of the CPA, Tan Sri Dato' Mohamed Zahir Haji Ismail, MP, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Malaysia, said his Parliament, which will host the August Conference, is fully committed to working with the Commonwealth to achieve development which is common to all.
In its deliberations, the Committee also agreed the agenda for the 16th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference of Members from Small Countries which will precede the main Conference in Malaysia. The Small Countries Conference, which includes representatives from nations, states, provinces and territories with populations of 400,000 or less, will discuss:
The Executive Committee in other business agreed to re-activate the membership of Sierra Leone which has recently returned to parliamentary democratic government after four years of military rule, and agreed to recommend to the Association's General Assembly inn August the acceptance of an application from South Africa's Western Cape provincial Legislature to join the CPA.
The Committee met in Cape Town, the seat of South Africa's Parliament, as the guests of the CPA Branch of the Parliament of South Africa.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:
MR ARTHUR DONAHOE, QC, SECRETARY-GENERAL, COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARY ASSOCIATION HEADQUARTERS SECRETARIAT SUITE 700, 7 MILLBANK LONDON SW1P 3JA UNITED KINGDOM