The African region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) has arrived in Abuja for its 51st Annual Conference.

Effects of COVID-19 on member states, economic stability and security, amongst other issues, will be discussed at the conference.

The clerk of the Namibian parliament, Lydia Kandetu, said shortly after presiding over the inaugural meeting of the Society of Clerks-at-the-Table, an organ of the CPA that houses clerks to the parliament or national assembly of member states.

According to Ms Kandetu, about 12 countries were expected to send representatives to this year’s CPA, where decisions on various issues shall be taken.

She added that other countries might join later.

On the effect of COVID-19 on the parliaments, Ms Kandetu stated that the conference would discuss whether to resume full sittings in member states or not.

She further mentioned that parliamentarians had been meeting at irregular sessions and virtually since the pandemic started.

“The COVID-19, for example, hit us so hard. So this is the platform where we can also discuss issues of whether we can now start meeting physically or continue virtually as the case may be,” she said.

Ms Kandetu explained that the Namibian parliament had to divide its members to sit in different rooms to ensure social distancing.

“The conference is going to discuss the issue of the countries that were hit and the possible solutions we can come up with so that each country can learn from one another,” she said.

The clerk of Nigeria’s parliament, Ojo Amos, said the conference would allow member states to cross-pollinate ideas on solving pressing issues in their countries.

Mr Amos also noted that President Muhammadu Buhari would officially inaugurate the conference on November 11.