Speaker Woods Attends CPA Coordinating Committee Meeting in London

Speaker of the House, Valerie Woods, this week participated in a series of high-level meetings in London as part of her role with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).

Woods, who serves as Chair of the CPA Small Branches and is a member of its Coordinating Committee, met with the CPA Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General, Chair of the CPA, staff of the CPA Secretariat, and fellow Committee members at CPA Headquarters in the London, United Kingdom.

The meetings included briefings on the CPA’s ongoing work and a review of its newly launched Strategic Plan. The Coordinating Committee also engaged with representatives of the Commonwealth Secretariat, members of the CPA UK Branch, and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to explore partnership opportunities aimed at strengthening Commonwealth parliaments.

During her visit, Speaker Woods also met with Belize’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Cherie Nisbet, and staff at the Belize High Commission.

The CPA works to strengthen parliamentary democracy, build the capacity of parliamentarians, and promote good governance across the Commonwealth. Its Small Branches network comprises 51 parliamentary jurisdictions—national and sub-national—with populations of up to one million people. The CPA Coordinating Committee includes the CPA Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer, and the Chairs of the CPA networks for Women Parliamentarians, Parliamentarians with Disabilities, and Small Branches.