NEW DELHI: A high-level briefing meeting was held on September 1 under the chairmanship of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to review preparations for the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference.
The conference is scheduled to be held in Cape Town, South Africa, from 13 to 19 September 2026.
Addressing the meeting, Birla placed particular emphasis on the role of the Indian delegation in the discussions at the Conference.
He urged all members of the delegation to participate actively in the sessions and workshops and to put forward their views effectively so that India’s national interests and perspectives are strongly represented and safeguarded on the global stage.
He underscored that India’s active participation in international parliamentary forums would further strengthen the country’s parliamentary traditions and democratic values.
He also directed all members to maintain the highest standards of punctuality and discipline during meetings and negotiations throughout the Conference, ensuring that the Indian delegation sets an exemplary standard.
The main theme of the Conference is "Strengthening International Law and Parliamentary Democracy in a Changing World Order: Commonwealth Leadership".
Deliberations under the theme will focus on the role of parliaments in responding to the changing global landscape.
During the meeting, the agenda for six key Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) workshops for the Indian delegation was outlined.
The workshops will address a range of important issues, including promoting inter-parliamentary dialogue for inclusive and fair trade in diverse economies; making parliaments more accessible and inclusive for persons with disabilities; parliamentary leadership in advancing climate adaptation and resilience; artificial intelligence (AI) in parliaments, including current applications, prospects and implementation strategies; protecting human rights and promoting peace; and post-legislative scrutiny.
Alongside the main sessions, a Youth Roundtable on "Rebuilding Youth Trust and Participation in Democracy" and a CPA General Assembly debate will also be held. The 10th Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Conference will feature four special workshops under the theme "Making Gender Sensitivity an Institutional Mandate: Ethics, accountability, and structural change", which will be among the major highlights of the event.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Lok Sabha Secretary-General Utpal Kumar Singh and senior officials from the concerned ministries gave detailed briefings on the Conference framework, administrative arrangements and strategic themes.
The briefings were aimed at ensuring that all participating members have a clear understanding of their roles and engagement during the Conference.
The Presiding Officers of several State Legislative Councils and Assemblies also attended the meeting.
