CPA Sri Lanka Branch Participates in the 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Sydney.

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Sri Lanka Branch proudly represented the country at the 67^th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC), held from the 3^rd to the 8^th of November 2024 in Sydney, Australia. Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera, Secretary-General of the Parliament of Sri Lanka and Regional Secretary for the CPA Asia Region, attended this prestigious gathering, which brought together over 700 Parliamentarians, Parliamentary staff, and decision-makers from across the Commonwealth.

This year’s Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC), hosted by the Parliament of New South Wales and the CPA New South Wales Branch, brought together one of the largest assemblies of Commonwealth Parliamentarians. The conference gathered Speakers, Presiding Officers, and Members of Parliament from national, state, provincial, and territorial legislatures across the Commonwealth, furthering the CPA’s mission to connect nearly 180 Parliaments and Legislatures.

Mrs. Rohanadeera was requested by the CPA HQ Secretariat in London to serve as an election scrutineer, overseeing the election process for the Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee.  As one of two official observers, she monitored the secret ballot election for the CPA Executive Committee Chair, ensuring a transparent and fair election process.

In addition, Mrs. Rohanadeera attended the Regional Secretaries’ Meeting, where she held productive discussions with high officials of the CPA, including Mr. Stephen Twigg, Secretary-General of CPA Headquarters Secretariat in London. She also actively participated in the 8^th Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Conference, the CPA General Assembly, and the 58^thSociety of Clerks-at-the-Table (SOCATT) meetings.

Furthermore, she engaged in discussions with Mr. Jack Hardcastle from the CPA Headquarters Secretariat in London regarding the Benchmark Assessment initiative, focusing on the programme to be conducted in Sri Lanka. She also met with Mr. Josh Drake from the CPA UK Branch to discuss matters related to the orientation programme scheduled for May 2025 for Members of the 10^th Parliament.

Through its active participation and leadership role, the CPA Sri Lanka Branch reaffirms Sri Lanka’s commitment to fostering Parliamentary collaboration, strengthening governance standards, and promoting Commonwealth unity.