The elected Members for Grand Anse Praslin and Baie Ste Praslin, Hon. Wavel Woodcock and Hon. Churchill Gill met with other Commonwealth parliamentarians from both Africa and the UK to discuss the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has highlighted the need for effective response strategies to public emergencies. The workshop which was held in Accra, Ghana from the 24th to the 26th January 2022, also offered valuable insights into how parliamentarians may respond effectively to future pandemics and other public emergencies.
The two-day workshop was hosted jointly by the Parliament of Ghana and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) UK.
The workshop was an opportunity for UK and African parliamentarians to explore how parliaments may address trade and security issues when these events occur, and to consider their impact on democratic institutions. The varying experiences of parliamentarians from across Africa and the UK, provided an opportunity to exchange best practices and the responses of their respective states in relation to the COVID- 19 pandemic.
The parliamentarians in attendance, represented 11 Legislatures and had the opportunity to Increase their capacity to scrutinize trade and security legislation as well as policy that incorporates gender.
Hon. Woodcock and Hon. Gill, participated in working group sessions that involved discussions on how natural disasters and pandemics affect trade and security legislation and policy.
On Tuesday 25th January, Hon. Woodcock participated in a session whereby he made a speech on Seychelles’ response to the COVID- 19 pandemic, its impact on his work as a parliamentarian and the key considerations from a trade, security and gender perspective. The aim of the workshop was to also build a network for parliamentarians to share good practices on effective scrutiny of trade and security legislation and Pledge to take action to improve scrutiny of trade and security legislation and policy.
Participants present in Ghana where from the African Regional parliaments of the Republic of Mozambique, Kenya, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Zambia, Ghana, Gambia and Seychelles.
