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During the Annual General Meeting (AGM), host Speaker Rt. Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta, President of the CPA Africa Region, handed over the Presidency of the Association to Rt. Hon. Catherine Gotani Hara, MP, Speaker of the Parliament of Malawi,  Hon. Dr. Beatrice Adagala, MP (Kenya) was elected for the position of Vice Chairperson of Executive Committee and Senator Linda Nxumalo (Eswatini) for the position of Vice Treasurer.

The leadership change follows a three-year term in which Hara spearheaded initiatives such as the Women in Leadership programme, raising female representation at CPA conferences to 30% in line with the revised constitution.

Accepting his new role, Speaker Jatta said:

Your vote of confidence is a testament to our shared vision for a stronger, more cohesive, and influential parliamentary body. I pledge to serve with integrity and a steadfast commitment to our collective goals.

He urged delegates to carry forward the spirit of collaboration, mutual respect, and shared purpose that defined the weeks deliberations, pledging to champion democratic governance, social justice, and responsive parliaments.

In her outgoing remarks, Speaker Hara reflected on achievements under her tenure:

We have worked tirelessly to foster greater collaboration among branches, share best practices, and advance women leadership, achieving a remarkable increase in women parliamentary representation. This progress paves the way for a more equitable political landscape.

The Banjul conference adopted a robust set of resolutions addressing corruption, industrialisation, climate adaptation, disability inclusion, healthcare access, and artificial intelligence governance.

Key commitments include:-

a) Fighting Corruption - Enacting asset - disclosure laws, creating inter-parliamentary coalitions against graft, and modernising procurement systems to promote transparency.

b) Boosting Industrialisation - Mandating local-content requirements, establishing special economic zones, and removing intra-African trade barriers.

c) Financing Climate Adaptation - Authorising sovereign green bonds, enforcing the polluter pays principle, and introducing climate resilience scores in fiscal reporting.

d) Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities - Ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, mandating accessibility standards, and reserving legislative seats for persons with disabilities.

e) Healthcare Access - Legislating universal health coverage, strengthening primary healthcare systems, and addressing the health sector brain drain.

f) AI in Parliamentary Work - Creating AI codes of practice, digital governance units, and training programmes to leverage technology responsibly in legislative processes.

The conference also endorsed Hon. Nontembeko Nothemba Boyce, Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature (South Africa) as the sole African candidate for CWP International Chairperson, launching a continent-wide lobbying campaign for her election.

Also, Plaques were presented for Outgoing CPA Africa President; Outgoing Chairperson of the Executive Committee; Outgoing Vice - Chairperson of the Executive Committee; Outgoing Senior Regional Representative; Outgoing Vice - Treasurer; and former CWP Vice Chairperson.

The outcomes from Banjul will feed directly into the 68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Bridgetown, Barbados, in October 2025, where African voices are expected to shape the Commonwealth global parliamentary agenda.

As delegates departed The Gambia, Speaker Jatta words captured the tone of the week:

Our work here is only the beginning. Together, we can build parliaments that not only legislate but also lead Africa towards peace, prosperity, and resilience.