Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and Assemblée Parlementaire de la Francophonie activities 2023

CPA and APF activities 2023

R.140/2024

I am very pleased to introduce this newsletter, which  Welcome to this newsletter with information about provides an insight into the breadth and depth of our  the work of the Jersey Section of the Assemblée involvement in the activities of the Commonwealth  parlementaire de la Francophonie (APF). Parliamentary Association.  Although the majority of the business of the States

As a small island it is vital that we look outwards and  Assembly today takes place in English, French take advantage of the many opportunities created  was the original language - and until 1900- the

by our involvement in the CPA. It enables us to make  only permitted language of the Assembly. Today valuable connections, builds communities and  it remains one of the official languages (alongside puts Jersey at the front and centre of this worldwide  Jèrriais and English) that in which members may network. This is demonstrated in the wide range of  speak to each other.

events which Jersey delegates have attended and  The linguistic, cultural and historical importance participated in, as detailed in this newsletter.  of the French language has allowed the Assembly

When Members of our Assembly attend conferences  to participate fully in the work of the APF; and our and training, they do so as parliamentarians and as  membership of this organisation – like that of the ambassadors for Jersey. It is important to value this  CPA – provides opportunities for engagement, wider role and the positive impact this has for the  connection and the sharing of ideas with

Island, placing us on the world stage.  parliaments from around the world.

The positive benefits of this involvement go beyond an  The conferences that our Members attend increased understanding of parliamentary roles. alongside parliamentarians from elsewhere bring

us into contact with many countries/regions and CPofferaan epopttend the annuA prulvs yent of ga otion of the 53 Commonovideung peopls a wreaal Commont imporealth of tre from the Istance givaining opporwealth Ywland the chance tealth coen thaout 60% of the th Ptuniuntriearltieiament, s fs aror o e  Union. Alongside the increased understanding of Members, both in person and virtually and also  their legislatures and assemblies that we would

not otherwise engage with, if we were a solely

English speaking Assembly; In this post-Brexit

time, this includes members of the European under 30. parliamentary work these conferences provide,

they also therefore allow opportunities to build Through participation in CPA, Members are able to  networks, to share how we approach matters in discuss common issues with parliamentarians from  Jersey and to improve others' understanding of the other jurisdictions large and small, share experiences  Island. They allow us to act as ambassadors for and learn from each other. In doing so, we can  our Parliamentary Assembly and our island more gain inspiration from the direct experiences of our  generally.

colleagues across the Commonwealth and feed that

knowledge into local initiatives and into improving  My thanks go to all those Members and officers our own legislation. We can also make meaningful  who have involved themselves in the work of the contributions by sharing our own experiences and  APF, presently and in the past.

in many instances Jersey delegates have made   Deputy Montfort Tadier

presentations and led on discussions, demonstrating

our small Island's ability to punch above its weight.

We are honoured that towards the end of 2023

Deputy Mary Le Hegarat was chosen as our Region's representative on the CPA Executive Council, only the second time that a Jersey Member has held an ExCo position and earlier in the year she was the Region's CWP representative at the Women's Political Leaders' summit in Brussels.

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 UK Trade Workshop 2022

Location: Westminster, London

Date: 7-9 February 2023

Attendees: Connétable Richard Vibert , Deputy Montfort Tadier

Summary:

The three-day workshop provided a unique platform for participants to: strengthen their knowledge of the trade and economic landscape across the UK and the Commonwealth; increase their awareness of mechanisms for parliamentary scrutiny of agreements; and familiarize themselves with parliamentary influence over trade negotiations and policy.

Feedback from Members:

Connétable Vibert : "Understanding how Brexit had impacted the CPA members of the workshop and comparing this to our own experience was enlightening. It was clear that whilst Fishing is not a significant part of the UK economy or that of Jersey, when it is discussed in Trade agreement it is a very emotive one."

Deputy Tadier : "The 3-day course was intensive [and] included learning, sharing, and training opportunities about parliamentary process surrounding all things to do with Trade Agreements: what they are, how they are negotiated and how backbenchers and committees can scrutinise them. There was also much discussion about how such treaties might include or exclude the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories, and how our interests are best represented on the international stage."

Event: 52nd British Islands and Mediterranean Regional Conference Location: Houses of Parliament, London

Date: 25-28 April 2023

Attendees: Connétable Andy Jehan , Deputy Hilary Jeune , Deputy Raluca Kovacs , Deputy Rob Ward

Summary:

The conference provided delegates with the opportunity to strengthen their regional network, to benefit from peer-to-peer exchange on issues affecting parliaments and parliamentarians in the British Islands and Mediterranean Region, and to attend the region's Annual General Meeting.

Feedback from Members:

Deputy Jeune : "An excellent programme was put together by the CPA BMIR that included a number of hosted events [] The panels attended included discussions on inclusive parliaments with a thought-provoking speech by Baroness Grey Thomas, Jeremy Balfour MSP and Baroness Verma. We did a facilitated workshop on workplace equality networks where I discussed the Diversity Forum and the new leads on D&I through the MHA which I am one of the leads."

Deputy Kovacs : "Great organisation of the events. [My highlights included] taking part in BIMR CWP meeting [about] increasing women participation in politics; 52nd BIMR conference with updates on the regional activity and important discussions and speeches on: Inclusive Parliament; Workplace Equality Networks; Standards and Behaviour; Parliamentary Movements to Address the Climate Emergency."

VISIT TO THE SPEAKER'S HOUSE

Event: CPA UK Bespoke Programme for newly-elected Members Location: Westminster, London

Date: 16-19 May 2023

Attendees: Connétable Karen Shenton-Stone , Connétable Mike Jackson , Connétable Richard Vibert , Deputy Catherine Curtis , Deputy Lyndsey Feltham , Deputy Raluca Kovacs , Deputy Lucy Stephenson , Deputy Helen Miles , Deputy Beatriz Porée , Deputy Barbara Ward

Summary:

States Members spent two days in Westminster plus half a day within a constituency. These included sessions on contributing in the Chamber, making an impact as a parliamentarian, balancing responsibilities, and the Channel Islands All-Party Parliamentary Group.

Feedback from Members:

Deputy B Ward : "All the sessions were great, and the speakers were genuinely pleased to meet us and share their thoughts and for them to hear about what goes on in Jersey – I felt there were more similarities and challenges than differences [] It was informative visiting the Constituency of Putney and understanding the Work done by Fleur Anderson MP – realising achievements really do take time to make the positive changes for people and their lives."

Deputy Stephenson : "This was an excellent programme; I enjoyed every part of it and felt like I learned a great deal in each session. I returned home full of ideas and learning to put into practice, as well as contacts and a greater understanding of how Westminster works."

Event: WPL Summit

Location: Brussels, Belgium

Date: 7-8 June 2023

Attendees: Deputy Mary Le Hegarat

Summary:

The Women Political Leaders' Summit 2023 was a moment for women politicians from all around the world to connect, share, and envision the path ahead.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Summit welcomed more than 200 politicians from 80 countries who joined insightful panels and speeches on the topics of peace, security, and – fundamentally – why Representation Matters'.

Event: Advanced Professional Development and Skills-Building Residency Programme Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Date: 11-17 June 2023

Attendees: Deputy Carina Alves , Deputy Tom Coles

Summary:

This programme included sessions on "Leadership Principles &  Theories", "Strategic Thinking & Planning", "Cultural Intelligence &  Stakeholder Engagement", "Diplomacy, Influencing & Negotiating",  and "Speechwriting and Speechmaking", as well as cultural visits and  networking opportunities.

Feedback from Members:

Deputy Alves : "[Highlights of the trip included] being able to network  with other members to different and wide-ranging jurisdictions and  making contacts; learning about the differences and similarities of  parliamentary running and elections; bringing people together as  support networks outside of our own local parliament."

Deputy Coles : "The workshops, exercises and round table  involvement were brilliant [] On the first day we were taken to Fort  Edmonton, where we were taken on a tour of the cultural centre.  

This concluded with a very powerful message from a performance of  indigenous people."

Event: 66th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference

Location: Accra, Ghana

Date: 2 – 6 October 2023

Attendees: Deputy Carolyn Labey , Deputy Helen Miles , Deputy Rob Ward

Summary:

The conference was held over 5 days in Accra, the capital city of Ghana, and consisted of eighteen sessions. The theme was The Commonwealth Charter 10 years on: Values and Principles for Parliament to Uphold'. The event consisted of a Small Branches conference, sessions for the Commonwealth-wide membership; and culminated in the General Meeting for all members. There was also the chance to network with parliamentarians from across the Commonwealth to promote Jersey as a developed democracy.

Feedback from Members:

Deputy Labey : "A very useful conference where much insight was gained about the current workings of the CPA. But probably of the most value are the contacts made, not only between Guernsey, the Isle of Man and the BIMR and small countries, but also with parliamentarians from Africa, Canada and Australia."

Deputy Miles : "My first CPA conference experience was excellent. The opportunity to learn and share with other jurisdictions who at first sight, have little resemblance to our own, was invaluable. Small island jurisdictions have similar issues – population, few economies of scale and challenges around human capital, skills deficit and discrimination. Of particular value was the opportunity to discuss resource sharing with Guernsey colleagues."

Event: Workshop "Strengthening Parliamentary Action to Address Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking in Supply Chains"

Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Date: 14-16 November 2023

Attendees: Deputy Mary Le Hegarat , Deputy Beatriz Porée

Summary:

The three-day workshop brought together parliamentarians from legislatures across the Commonwealth to advance the development and scrutiny of robust legislation and other measures to reduce modern slavery and human trafficking in supply chains.

The workshop facilitated peer-to-peer learning by bringing together parliamentarians from a range of Commonwealth legislatures to explore innovative policy initiatives, as well as allow parliamentarians to access networks; build strategic relationships; provide invaluable insights and contributions to raising awareness; and identify legislation gaps and barriers to the implementation of legislation.

Feedback from Members:

Deputy Porée : "The workshop programme was very well organised, as expected. Although it ran for three days only, it was packed with information, and intense at times. The CPA put together a good number of experts from varied backgrounds and experiences to help us through the learning process of addressing Modern Slavery. My event highlight was to be asked to Chair Session 5, on day one of the workshop, which I accepted and thoroughly enjoyed the experience."

Event: Domestic Abuse: Approaches across the Commonwealth Location: Virtual

Date: 30 November 2023

Attendees: Deputy Mary Le Hegarat , Deputy Raluca Kovacs , Deputy Helen Miles , Connétable Richard Honeycombe

Summary:

This discussion of approaches to tackling domestic violence across the Commonwealth and strengthening legislation to protect women and girls was organised by the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians network. The event brought together experts from across the Commonwealth to talk about approaches in addressing domestic abuse, best practice, and definitions of domestic abuse. A panel of speakers opened the session, followed by a Q&A session.

Event: CPA Virtual Conference on the 4th Industrial Revolution: Artificial intelligence, Disinformation and Parliament: Ensuring the Integrity of our Digital Democracy

Location: Virtual

Date: 4-6 December 2023 Attendees: Deputy Carina Alves

Summary:

The conference had the theme of "Artificial Intelligence, Disinformation and Parliament: Ensuring the Integrity of our Digital Democracy and was held online. The event addressed the potential and challenges of artificial intelligence (AI) in our democracies, especially concerning disinformation.

Event: Conférence des Présidents Summary:

Location: Paris, France The Psituation of the Stresidents' Confate ers borence incdering on Ukrluded a raineepor, an updat on the te Date: 1-2 June 2023 from the APF Europe Cooperative Action Programme, and

a session on "The treatment of information in francophone Attendees: Deputy Montfort Tadier spaces and the fight against misinformation" which included

representatives of the Francophone Press union and the

president of TV5Monde, a French public television network.

Event: Assemblée Générale Summary:

Location: Tbisili, Georgia The 48th Snon-French speaking pession of the APF warliament. The agas the first tenda inco take plluded an ace in a Date: 4-8 July 2023 address by Mme Louise Mushikiwabo, Secretary General of

the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie; activity Attendees: Deputy Montfort  reports and financial reports; a presentation from Mme Théa Tadier , Connétable Mike Jackson Tsouloukiani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture,

Sport and Youth of Georgia; the adoption of a strategic

framework 2023-2027; and reports from regional leaders.

Event: Assemblée Région Europe Summary:

Location: Athens, Greece The 35on "The consth APF Eequenceurope Ses of the wssion incar in Ukrluded Panel saine on Eessions urope Date: 5-7 November 2023 – systemic, migratory, energy and economic crises";

"Democracy in the face of war: challenges, concerns, and Attendees: Deputy Kirsten Morel ,  weaknesses"; and "Future perspectives on a fragmented Deputy Raluca Kovacs world: how to establish a more polycentric or multipolar

global governance?"

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (Jersey Branch) Executive Committee

2023 Conference and Events

Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie

2023 Meetings