Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and Assemblée Parlementaire de la Francophonie activities 2024

CPA and APF activities 2024

R.137/2025

I am delighted to introduce this newsletter, which  Welcome to this newsletter with information provides an insight into the extent of our involvement  about the work of the Jersey Section of the in the activities of the Commonwealth Parliamentary  Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie Association. (APF) in 2024.

CPA offers us such amazing opportunities, as a small  French was the original language of States

Island to look beyond our shores and access the wide  Assembly proceedings – and the only language range of opportunities afforded by our membership.  used until 1900. It remains one of the Assembly's We are given opportunities to engage with other  official languages (alongside Jèrriais and English) Parliamentarians and develop working relationships  in which States Members may address each other. whilst at the same time showcasing some of what  The linguistic, cultural and historical importance makes Jersey special with our counterparts across  of the French language has allowed the Assembly the network. Jersey delegates have been active  to participate fully in the work of the APF; and participants in a wide variety of CPA events detailed  our membership of this organisation provides

in this newsletter and our attendance at conferences  opportunities for engagement, connection and

and training sessions, or indeed as Election  the sharing of ideas with parliaments from around Observers in other jurisdictions, allows us to be  the world.

fantastic ambassadors for Jersey. The conferences that our Members attend

There is certainly more to be gained from our  alongside parliamentarians from elsewhere bring participation at these events than an increased  us into contact with many countries or regions understanding of parliamentary roles. The additional  and their legislatures and assemblies that we positive outcomes are that, in placing us firmly on  would not otherwise engage with if we were a

the world stage, Members have the opportunity to  solely English-speaking Assembly. Alongside discuss common issues with parliamentarians from  the increased understanding of parliamentary other jurisdictions large and small, share experiences  work these conferences provide, they also allow and learn from each other. We can be inspired by  opportunities to build networks, to share how

the direct experiences of our colleagues across the  we approach matters in Jersey and to improve Commonwealth and use what we learn in a local  others' understanding of the Island. They allow context to improve life in our Island, and we can also  us to act as ambassadors for our own Assembly contribute to the betterment of others by sharing our  and the Island more generally. In 2024, for

own experiences.  example, we engaged directly with the work of the Although we are a small jurisdiction, we take our  APF's Commissions for the first time. I was also membership of CPA very seriously and our delegates  delighted that the Island was represented at the

are often asked to make presentations and lead on  Parlement Francophone des Jeune s for the first discussions, as you will see demonstrated across  time in a number of years.

the events we have attended over the past year.  My thanks go to all those Members and officers From leading on World Café sessions at the CPC  who have involved themselves in the work of the Conference to heading up an Election Observer  APF, presently and in the past.

Mission, Jersey delegates have certainly made

their mark. It was a very proud moment for Jersey   Deputy Montfort Tadier

when Deputy Raluca Kovacs was awarded the New

Parliamentarian of the Year award at the CPC in

Australia and we are also honoured that Deputy Mary

Le Hegarat is serving as our Region's representative

on the CPA Executive Council, only the second time

that a Jersey Member has held an ExCo position.

I thank all Members for their involvement in the CPA in Jersey; for their continued support and for how Jersey is represented so successfully across the Commonwealth.

Deputy Rob Ward

Event: CPA BIMR Election Observer Training

Location: Virtual

Date: 22-23 January 2024

Attendees: Connétable Richard Vibert , Deputies Hilary Jeune and Raluca Kovacs

Summary:

The two-day online workshop introduced the theory and practice of election observation. The programme aimed to increase the number of Commonwealth parliamentarians able to take part in CPA BIMR election observation missions and strengthen the CPA's interest in promoting democratic elections. The training course comprised theoretical learning and group discussions and was designed to strengthen.

Event: Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Conference –

Resilient Women: Moulding Girls into Strong Women

Location: Floriana, Malta

Date: 6-9 March 2024

Attendees: Deputies Carolyn Labey , Mary Le Hegarat and Barbara Ward

Summary:

More than 30 Parliamentarians met to discuss the resilience and best practices to mould girls into strong women in the context of today's challenges. Among the topics discussed were the impact of the cost-of-living crisis, cultural and societal inequality and discrimination and the challenges of being a female Member of Parliament.

Feedback from Members:

Deputy Labey : "I was honoured to have been chosen to make a presentation at the conference. My subject was on the multifaceted challenges confronting women across the Commonwealth. As Jersey's Minister for International Development, I was able to speak about Jersey's  

financial inclusion programmes in the developing world and how  

micro finance can give women access to savings, loans and greater  

control of their own lives."

Deputy Ward : "It felt we were more connected as a group, more bonded  and that it wasn't about us but about coming together to lead the way for  our young people [and] the laying down of positive foundations."

Event: 72nd Westminster Seminar

Location: Westminster, London and Cardiff, Wales Date: 11-15 March 2024

Attendees: Deputies Hilary Jeune and Karen Wilson

Summary:

The theme of the seminar was effective parliaments, and the five-day programme offered delegates an opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of parliamentary democracy, practice and procedure. It served as a platform for parliamentarians and clerks from across the Commonwealth to learn from one another, discuss shared experiences, and address the unique challenges they encounter in carrying out their parliamentary duties.

Feedback from Members:

Deputy Jeune : "The second day was the most interesting – the role of select/scrutiny committees and how to hold the executive to account and follow up to recommendations – I learnt a lot of tips that I will be utilising to the full."

Event: CPA BIMR 53rd Conference

Location: St Helena

Date: 18-25 May 2024

Attendees: Deputies Sam Mézec and Mary Le Hegarat

Summary:

The conference provided delegates with the opportunity to strengthen their regional network and benefit from peer-to-peer exchange on issues affecting parliaments in the British Isles and Mediterranean region. The theme of the conference was Addressing Challenges to Sustainable Development in Times of Global Uncertainty.

Event: CPA BIMR Election Assessment Mission to the UK General Election Location:

Date: 29 June – 6 July

Attendees: Deputies Inna Gardiner , Hilary Jeune and Tom Coles

Summary:

The event comprised a two-day training session before  delegates travelled to a constituency to meet election  officials, parliamentary candidates, civil society  organisations and youth and business groups. The mission  was designed to publish a report on the UK General  Election containing observations and recommendations for  improvement in line with international best practices.

Event: 12th Commonwealth Youth Parliament Location: Wellington, New Zealand

Date: 31 August-6 September 2024 Attendees: Jack Duncan and Jade Hahn

Summary:

Youth participants aged between 18 and 29 from across the CPA's 180 branches met in New Zealand to develop skills in democracy, good governance, networking, diplomacy, leadership and empowerment.

Feedback from participants:

Jack Duncan: "The event was incredibly valuable for its networking opportunities in meeting not just all the impressive young people there with such a multitude of perspectives, experiences and priorities, but also the seasoned and accomplished professionals we had the opportunity to talk to and learn from throughout the week, including diplomats, parliamentary clerks, speakers, young leaders, sitting MPs and many others".

Jade Hahn : "My favourite part of the debates was hearing many of the delegates make some inspired, passionate and humorous speeches, reminding us that humour and delivery can sometimes be more persuasive that facts and figures!"

Event: Legislative Strengthening Seminar to Address Gender-Based Violence and Modern Slavery in Supply Chains

Location: Westminster, London Date: 22-24 October 2024 Attendees: Deputy Beatriz Porée

Summary:

The three-day seminar explored the development and scrutiny of  

robust legislation, among other measures, to bring about a reduction  

in modern slavery in supply chains. It followed the CPA UK's workshop  held in Nairobi, Kenya in November 2023. The project was designed to  enable Commonwealth parliaments to be more active in addressing  modern slavery.

Event: 67th CPA Conference

Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Date: 3-8 November 2024

Attendees: Deputies Mary Le Hegarat , Elaine Millar , Inna Gardiner and Tom Coles

Summary:

The conference was attended by more than 700 parliamentarians and officials from across the Commonwealth. The theme of the conference was Engage, Empower, Sustain: Charting the Course for Resilient Democracy. Some of the key decisions made during the Conference included the approval of the 2023 CPA Annual Report and the endorsement of reports from the three CPA networks – the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, the Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities and the CPA Small Branches.

Event: Conférence des Présidents Summary:

Location: Chisinau, Moldova The ConfPresidentérs of alence del juriss Pdictions in the APF'résidents brings togs Eether the uropean Date: 17-21 March 2024 Region. During the 2024 conference, there was

a seminar on how parliamentarians can combat Attendees: Deputy Montfort Tadier disinformation. The delegates received presentations

on the situation in Moldova and the status and use of French in the country. Consideration was also given by the delegates to the impact of the War in Ukraine on Europe and the response of the European Union to foreign interference. Plans for the regional conference later in the year were also discussed and projects put forward by Sections for APF support were considered and approved. As the delegates were together on 20th

March (the Journée Internationale de la Francophonie), they visited the Alliance Française of Moldova and met representatives from the Moldovan humanitarian organisation, Vent d'Est.

Event: Commission de  Summary:

l'Education, de la Culture et de la  During this two-day event, several topics related to Communication Francophonie and education were discussed, ranging

from school inclusion, through disinformation, to digital Location: Bucharest, Romania transformation. There were also guest speakers present

who shared their expertise on these topics and who Date: 2-4 April 2024 provided areas for reflection with regard to education and

development in the francophone world.

Attendees: Deputy Raluca Kovacs

Feedback from Members:

Deputy Kovacs : "A great opportunity to hear on the subjects above on practical experiences/ policies of the countries taking part, to contribute with our own experiences and

to hear directly from the Romanian Ministers, Deputies

or Officials, on best practices used by their parliament regarding education and multilingualism".

Event: 49th Assemblée  Summary:

Parlementaire de la Francophonie This event brought together nearly 400 participants

representing 49 jurisdictions from the French-speaking Location: Montréal, Canada world and saw various agreements adopted in the pursuit

Date: 5-9 July 2024 of democratic vigilance. This event also saw the addition of

three new parliaments to the APF: the National Assembly of Attendees: Deputy Helen Miles  Angola as a member section; the House of Representatives of

Cyprus as an associate section; and the Legislative Assembly and Deputy Raluca Kovacs of Pondicherry as an observer. The institution's membership

thus increased to 95 parliaments. During the plenary

session, delegates considered the expanding use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the impact of its use on parliamentary work. Prior to the plenary sessions, Deputies Helen Miles and Raluca Kovacs attended meetings of the Réseau des Femmes and the Commission de l'Education, de la Culture et de la Communication.

Feedback from Members:

Deputy Miles : "I was impressed by the quality of speakers and the intensity of debate across the chosen topics. I appreciated the academic approach to the presentation of evidence – particularly regarding bilingual education and artificial intelligence."

Deputy Kovacs : "I had the honour of representing Jersey, alongside Deputy Helen Miles , at the 49th session of the APF, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada CA. The schedule was intense, with very useful presentations of factual expertise, insightful debates, and important agreements being adopted in many areas of common interest in the Francophone countries".

Event: 10th Parlement  Summary:

Francophone des Jeune s The Parlement Francophone des Jeune s is an initiative run

by the APF every two years. Jersey was represented in 2024 Location: Montréal, Canada for the first time since 2015. The event lasted a week and

saw the representatives divided into four commissions: Date: 4-9 July 2024 Economic affairs; Political affairs; Parliamentary affairs;

Attendees: Edith Brown and  and Education, culture and environment. The members of

each commission debated topics and prepared proposals Tanguy Billet-Masters and resolutions for presentation to the plenary session of

the Parlement des Jeune s. Another key element was the Joutes Oratoires', a debating competition involving all of the delegates that ran throughout the week.

Feedback from Members:

Edith Brown: "As for my personal development, it was greatly accelerated thanks to meeting of talented and caring people whom I would never have met otherwise. Moreover, I would say that it pushed me to improve myself and develop more political and individual projects in my everyday life. Indeed, I believe that the greatest benefit that Jersey can gain from this conference and conferences with the same focus

is the recognition of us as a country in general and then as

a player in the French-speaking world. Furthermore, the association of Jersey with positive things by young people likely to acquire positions of influence is a good step forward for Jersey's international reputation".

Tanguy Billet-Masters: "To be able to participate in the Youth francophone parliament is an incredible opportunity. Not only was the event an opportunity to have an enriching social experience but the Parlement Francophone des Jeune s was an opportunity to learn about politics and parliamentary life. All the young representatives were brought together in a common interest in fighting for the young francophone world and its future. The experience enabled me to learn about distinct cultures and encounter young people from all around the world. I was furthermore introduced to ideas and perspectives that I had never come across before, so it was a great learning curve for me as well as a deeply thought provoking one".

Event: 36th Assemblée régionale  Summary:

Europe APF The presentations and seminars took place in an open forum

in the Kosovo Parliament as a series of mini lectures with Location: Pristina, Kosovo more than 40 parliamentarians collaborating on discussions

Date: 11-13 November 2024 around the theme "Hybrid War: A Danger for Security and

Democracy." Various experts were invited to present at Attendees:  the conference with discussions focusing on actions to

consider and strategies for defense alongside preservation of Deputy Montfort Tadier ,  democratic values.

Connétable Michael Jackson ,

Deputy Kristina Moore Feedback from Members:

Deputy Tadier : "Both the location of the conference and the subject matter reinforce in my mind the value of Jersey's adherence to the membership of the APF, as it gives our parliament reach far beyond the usual remit of countries we would otherwise come into contact with, and discuss geo- political issues of shared relevance that we perhaps would also not discuss."

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (Jersey Branch) Executive Committee - 2024 Conference and Events

* All travel is booked in accordance with relevant States policies. Where a flight's duration is longer than 6 hours premium economy can be booked but any further upgrade is at the passenger's personal expense. Flight costs are subject to fluctuation depending on time of booking, but every effort is made to secure the most efficient route and best value for money.

Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie

2024 Meetings

* All travel is booked in accordance with relevant States policies. Where a flight's duration is longer than 6 hours premium economy can be booked but any further upgrade is at the passenger's personal expense. Flight costs are subject to fluctuation depending on time of booking, but every effort is made to secure the most efficient route and best value for money.