AUSTRALIA —Uganda has been selected to host the 27th Speakers and Presiding Officers Conference of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) scheduled for 3rd to 6th January 2024.
Uganda was confirmed as the next year’s conference host at the ongoing CSPOC in Canberra, Australia.
“Parliament of Uganda has been chosen to host the next Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers’ Conference, a very important conference which is part of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association,” Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa who is currently attending the 26th conference said.
He said nearly all Parliamentary Speakers from Commonwealth jurisdictions are excited about visiting Uganda next year.
Tayebwa described the opportunity to host the conference as a vote of confidence within the country, Uganda people and the government.
“The hospitality that we have as a country is what everyone has been telling me about. They are looking forward to visiting our beautiful country and most of them are promising to come with their families,” Tayebwa, who was elected Vice Chairperson of the CSPOC said.
The country hopes to use the event to market some of its tourism sites.
“This will be another opportunity to showcase our beautiful country to the World,” Tayebwa said.
According to Tayebwa, several Speakers of Parliaments have confirmed attending, including Sir Lindsay Hoyle, House of Commons, UK, Milton Dick Parliament of Australia, Adrian Rurawhe of New Zealand and Mahinda Yapa of Sri Lanka.
“I’m happy that our next host is the East African brother Uganda and we as the East African countries and members of the Commonwealth; Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda will be supporting Uganda in every way possible to ensure that the conference they will host in 2024 is organised as the one happening now in Canberra,” Moses Wetangula, Speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya said.
“I’m looking forward to January 2024 as CSPOC is being held in Uganda. Uganda is a beautiful country which we want to develop more relationships with Canada, but most importantly, I’m looking forward to the natural resources that Uganda has,” said Anthony Rota, the Canadian speaker of the House of Commons.
Milton Dick, the Federal Member for Oxley and Speaker of the House of Representatives in Australia said he is very much looking forward to visiting Uganda next year.
“I know we will be received warmly and I’m looking forward to learning more about the beautiful country of Uganda and its people,” said speaker Milton Dick who is also the chairperson of the 26th CSPOC conference.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom said he was extremely excited about a chance to visit Uganda next year.
“I am looking forward to next year where we have the privilege and honour to be able to visit Uganda. I look so forward to this CSPOC conference. Thank you so much for the invite. I’m looking forward to seeing Uganda,” an elated Sir Lindsay Hoyle said.
This is the first CSPOC to be held in three years, owing to COVID-19 restrictions. The first CSPOC was held in Canada in 1969.
