60th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference
Yaoundé, Cameroon
Address by Amitav Banerji,
Director, Political Division, Commonwealth Secretariat
6 October 2014
Madame Chairperson,
Right Honourable Mr Cavayé Djibril, Speaker of the National Assembly of Cameroon,
Right Honourable Sir Alan Haselhurst, Chair of the Executive Committee of the CPA,
Other office bearers of the CPA and the Cameroon Parliament,
Mr Martin Chungong, Secretary-General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,
Mr Joe Omorodion, Acting Secretary-General of CPA,
Honourable Presiding Officers, distinguished parliamentarians, Commonwealth friends,
It is an honour and a pleasure to address you, on behalf of the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma, who very much regrets not being able to be with you today in person, as he flies to Washington for the meeting of Commonwealth Finance Ministers.
As many have pointed out, this 60th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference takes place in the shadow of tragedy. The sudden passing away of Dr William Shija has come as a deep shock to us all. In a statement he issued on Saturday in London, Secretary-General Sharma said “The Commonwealth at large shares in a sense of enormous sadness and loss...Dr Shija served the CPA with commitment, and with an enduring enthusiasm for its potential always to do more for its members and for citizens of the Commonwealth at the grassroots level whom parliamentarians represent.”
I myself had the privilege of knowing Dr Shija well and working with him for the last eight years. I know that he will be deeply missed. May he rest in peace and may all those who mourn his loss have the strength to reconcile and to move forward.
Mr Chairman, allow me to say to you as our host, how wonderful it is to be in Cameroon – and to see Cameroon playing such an important role in the Commonwealth. Thank you for the warmth of your welcome and for your kind hospitality. Thank you also to you and your team for the excellent arrangements made for this conference.
The CPA is a valued partner of the Commonwealth Secretariat and an integral part of the Commonwealth family. It brings together - more than 16,000 members from over 170 parliaments in 52 Commonwealth countries -- a truly phenomenal family.
Your members represent national and provincial assemblies, presidential and Westminster systems, unitary and federal states, large and small nations, and the CPA enables all to exchange views, make connections and deepen understanding of your roles and responsibilities as representatives of the people.
The Commonwealth and Democracy
Mr Chairman, the Charter of the Commonwealth adopted two years ago “recognise(s) the inalienable right of individuals to participate in democratic processes, in particular through free and fair elections, in shaping the society in which they live. Governments, political parties and civil society are responsible for upholding and promoting democratic culture and practices and are accountable to the public in this regard. Parliaments and representative local governments and other forms of local governance are essential elements in the exercise of democratic governance.”
The commitment of our member states to representative democracy is a distinctive feature of the Commonwealth. And the parliamentary links, forged and continually strengthened through the work of the CPA over many decades, can be seen as among the most powerful practical illustrations of Commonwealth cooperation.
While democracy around the Commonwealth takes varied forms, we all commit ourselves to certain common values and principles, and these shape both our collective goals and our collective responsibility. These include free and fair elections, human rights, the rule of law, separation of powers, and tolerance, respect and understanding. Deep-rooted in the Commonwealth approach is the ideal of learning from one another. That is what Commonwealth conferences like this are all about: to strengthen networks, to share, to exchange, to be mutually supportive, and to benefit from doing so.
Elections
The quality of a country’s elections, to a large extent, depends upon the quality of its election management body (EMB). That body can make the crucial difference. Our aim is to ensure that EMBs are upholders of the highest electoral standards.
With this in mind we have established a Commonwealth Electoral Network (CEN), bringing together national EMBs across the Commonwealth. This reflects our firm belief that EMBs are at the heart of the electoral process. Where an EMB is independent, capable and transparent, it can play a crucial role in ensuring the credibility of an election and public and political confidence in it.
The aim of the CEN is to facilitate experience sharing and to create support mechanisms, promote good practices and provide opportunities for peer support across the Commonwealth. The Network has made impressive progress since it was formally launched in Accra in 2010.
The Secretariat has continued to assist member states strengthen their democratic institutions and processes, including through the provision of technical assistance and by organising the observation of elections. Since 1991, the Secretariat has sent over 120 Observer Groups to elections in member states, and election observation has become one of the Commonwealth’s acknowledged brand strengths.
CMAG
Mr Chairman, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) of nine Foreign Ministers acts as the custodian of our fundamental political values. Since its establishment in 1995 it has been addressing situations where serious or persistent violations of Commonwealth values have occurred. A unique Commonwealth mechanism, CMAG has supported the strengthening of democracy in member countries and has enhanced the Commonwealth’s profile and image on the international stage. In 2011, Commonwealth leaders gave the Group an enhanced mandate, enabling it to be more proactive and engaging and able to respond with greater anticipation to potentially serious or persistent derogation.
Human Rights
At the last Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 2013, our leaders affirmed their commitment to building the capacity of member states to work with the UN human rights review mechanism - the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). They noted the work being done by the Commonwealth Secretariat in this regard, particularly with small states, and encouraged these efforts to continue. Accordingly, the Commonwealth Small States Office in Geneva has continued to support member states in engaging with the UPR mechanism, by providing advice and technical assistance, including on the formulation of country-specific National Human Rights Action Plans.
The Secretariat’s work in strengthening responses to the UPR system has extended to working with parliamentarians, who play a key role as policy makers in the national context. A capacity-building intervention for parliamentarians from African member states in March 2014 led to the formation of the Commonwealth Africa Parliamentary Human Rights Group.
Democracy and Development
Mr Chairman, The collective wisdom of the Commonwealth is that, while development and democracy are each goals in their own right, they are also interconnected and mutually reinforcing. Development is easier and more sustainable in democratic societies, where the individual has liberty and choice. Democracy is sustained and nourished where the tide of economic growth lifts all and leaves none behind.
Commonwealth Heads of Government, at their meeting in Abuja in 2002, said in their Aso Rock Declaration on Development and Democracy, ‘We are convinced that broad-based prosperity creates the stability conducive to the promotion of democracy; and that strong democratic institutions better promote development”.
We would do well to recall the elements identified already by our Heads of Government as those that make democracy work for pro-poor development.
These include:
• a participatory democracy characterised by free and fair elections and representative legislatures;
• an independent judiciary;
• a well-trained public service;
• a transparent and accountable public accounts system;
• machinery to protect human rights;
• the right to information;
• active participation of civil society, including women and youth;
• substantially increased and more effective financial resources; and
• increased democracy at the global level, including enhanced participation and transparency in international institutions.
Repositioning the Commonwealth for the Post-2015 Development Agenda
Distinguished delegates, your conference theme is Repositioning the Commonwealth for the Post-2015 Development Agenda. This is very timely and most appropriate.
Less than two weeks ago, in New York, our Heads of Government adopted a Commonwealth Statement on the Post-2015 Agenda. Permit me to quote a few excerpts:
“We recognise poverty eradication as the overarching focus of the Post 2015 Development Agenda and reaffirm our commitment to sustainable development. The new agenda must tackle the causes of poverty, exclusion and inequality. We acknowledge the importance of sustainable development for all individuals, and have committed ourselves to eliminate disparities and make growth more inclusive for all, including women and girls, youth, vulnerable groups and people with disabilities.
The Post-2015 Development Agenda should address the importance of peaceful and stable societies, and effective and accountable institutions at all levels, for poverty eradication and sustainable development.
We call for a strong and inclusive global partnership to support the means of implementation of the Post-2015 Development Agenda, which optimises the mobilisation of all forms of development finance and ensures their effective use for sustainable development. We draw particular attention to the importance of the Post-2015 Development Agenda being supported by international structures and collaboration that promote, inter alia: a rules-based, transparent, free and fair multilateral trading system that enhances our trade liberalisation and developmental objectives, while taking into account the vulnerabilities and special requirements of Small Island Developing States, Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and fragile states; a stable and effective global financial system that encourages long-term investment; and access to science, technology, innovation, and development data.
We recognise the importance of the private sector in creating jobs and making the investments necessary for balanced, sustainable, inclusive and equitable growth with full and productive employment…”
I should add that we have also contributed Commonwealth perspectives to discussions on the Global Gender Equality Post-2015 Agenda, with particular focus on women’s economic empowerment.
With its rich diversity and convening power, the Commonwealth has positioned itself to remain central to the debate on the Post-2015 Development Agenda. I am sure the perspectives from this august assembly of parliamentarians in Yaoundé will further enrich that Commonwealth contribution.
Before I conclude, distinguished parliamentarians, I have a plea to make. Could I ask that all of you please consider initiating and participating in periodic debates on the Commonwealth in your respective legislatures, focusing on the Commonwealth Charter and the values and principles it sets out, especially around Commonwealth Day, celebrated on the second Monday in March each year? That will go a long way towards raising the Commonwealth’s profile in your respective nations and jurisdictions.
Mr Chairman, distinguished delegates, in conclusion may I convey the Commonwealth Secretary-General’s warmest greetings and good wishes for the success of your deliberations here in Yaoundé – and thank you once again for the opportunity to address you on his behalf.
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