Members of the Rwandan Parliament on Thursday launched a two-day activity to celebrate Commonwealth Day. The celebrations were kick-started by a two-day seminar that brought together members of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Rwanda Chapter, which focused on practices, procedures and processes of the bloc. The seminar, which ends Friday is being held virtually owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. The CPA exists to connect, develop, promote and support Parliamentarians and their staff to identify benchmarks of good governance, and implement the enduring values of the Commonwealth, which brings together 54 countries. Commonwealth Day is celebrated annually on the second Monday of March, and this year, it fell on Monday, March 8, 2021. Since it coincided with International Women’s Day, it was suggested that parliament celebrates the day on March 18. The celebrations are this year being held under the theme: ‘Delivering a Common Future: Connecting, Innovating and Transforming,’ which is the same theme under which this year’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2021) will be held. CHOGM 2021 will be held in Kigali in June. Speaking to The New Times, Furaha Emma Rubagumya, the CPA Rwanda Executive Committee Chairperson said that celebrating the Commonwealth Day is a culture of this organisation, and it is in line with its principles and values. She said that the parliamentarians will reflect on the theme of this year, and see how to attain its objectives which include how countries are connecting, innovating, and transforming to surmount challenges including the Covid-19 pandemic that has ravaged the world. “We chose to increase our knowledge about that theme, and consider its aim and our contribution, as members of Rwanda Parliament, as well as how we will advance our partnership with our counterparts in other Member States of the Commonwealth in that regard,” she said. Rationale for the seminar The seminar, which has brought together both senators and deputies, seeks to equip branch members with required knowledge, skills and strategies to fully contribute and benefit from CPA activities at National, Regional and International levels. Other purposes of the training are strengthening good practices of democratic governance and to acquaint legislators with Commonwealth way of oversight and law-making, and encouraging the professional development of MPs and Parliamentary Staff. Timing The seminar in line with observing the Commonwealth Day when Rwanda is preparing to host CHOGM in June 2021 – the summit of Heads of Government from all Commonwealth Nations. The CPA Rwanda Branch said that it would wish to have a two-day seminar aimed at equipping Members with vast knowledge on the processes, procedures and practices of this organisation (CPA) in order to play a resounding role during the said meeting of the Heads of Government meeting. The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 independent and equal countries. Representing a third of the world it is home to 2.4 billion people and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. 32 of our members are small states, including many island nations.
