Ayoub mzee withe RT HON JOHN BERCOW speaker of the house of commons in england
Rt. Hon John Bercow MP, Speaker of the House of Commons, UK Parliament
On 22 June 2009 John Bercow was elected 157th Speaker of the House of Commons.

A former national Chairman of the Federation of Conservative Students and London Borough Councillor, he was elected Member of Parliament for Buckingham in May 1997 as a Conservative, serving on the front benches as spokesman for Education & Employment and Home Affairs.

He was appointed Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury in 2001 then Shadow Minister for Work & Pensions in 2002 and from 2003 to 2004 as Shadow Secretary of State for International Development.

He then became a member of the International Development Select Committee and served as co-Chair of the All party Parliamentary group on Burma, vice-Chair of the APG on the prevention of genocide, Africa and Sudan.

The flag bearers arrived at Westminster just as Big Ben struck 4pm. Held proudly aloft, the ensigns fluttered briefly in London’s summer breeze before the procession began its journey through the great Gothic doors of Westminster Hall.

Ayoub mzee with the deputy speaker of Tanzania Parliament HON .JOB NDUGAI MP

Two by two they entered, starting with Antigua, Barbuda, Cameroon working through the alphabet to the UK, Vanuatu and Zambia, the myriad colours of 52 nations, states and small islands spanning both the rainbow and the globe.

Ayoub mzee with the Speaker of Tanzania Parliament HON ANNE MAKINDA MP

Inside, more than 600 foreign dignitaries – MPs and speakers from 170 national, state, provincial and territorial parliaments – watched as their national flags were placed together at the foot of the Hall’s great stained glass windows. The Band of the Irish Guard, resplendent in red and gold, played waltzes, a march – and even a taste of the Beatles - until the state trumpeters’ fanfare heralded the arrival of the Royal visitor.

Ayoub mzee with the speaker of Uganda Parliament HON RABECCA KADAGA

It was an historic and fitting setting for the official opening of the 57th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference in this, its centenary year.

HRH The Princess Royal inaugurated the conference and read a message from Her Majesty, The Queen, “welcoming the delegates of so many parliaments and the significance of the theme of the conference ‘Reinforcing Democracy’.

BARONESS PATRICIA SCOTLAND WITH TANZANIA SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT HON ANNE MAKINDA
The Royal family very much enjoy their visits to the many countries of the Commonwealth. There are many, many more planned and it is always a great privilege and a pleasure...[but] we do not take for granted the lessons learned on our visits,” she said.

Ayoub mzee with the deputy speaker of South africa parliament

One of the most important points of what the Commonwealth can do is to ensure that nations talk to each other, that there are many more similarities between us than dissimilarities.”

Princess Anne stressed the importance of the CPA mission in 2011 to work toward strengthening both nascent and existing democracies: “Reinforcing democracy is a very good title but there are no easy answers. Maintaining strong democracies is hard work and it is up to us all to play our part in the process,” she said.

“I hope you all enjoy London and this conference but above all that all your communications concentrate on your similarities, not your differences.”

The Speaker of the House, Rt Hon. John Bercow MP, told the delegates that they were gathered in a Hall which had witnessed 1,000 years of history, grim trials, monarchs sentenced to death, great banquets and state leaders laid out in state for national mourning.

Ayoub mzee with the Nigeria speaker HON AMINU

A century ago too, a lunch was held for foreign dignitaries which paved the way for the creation of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, a body which began with a handful of states – and has now expanded to more than 170.

“Most of all, this Hall in which you sit has seen the evolution of democracy...there are few places that go back so far into the heart of our nation.

“In 1911 too, that PM of the time was unable to attend that lunch because he had to attend to a small matter...one which would ensure the supremacy of the House of Commons, reinforcing democracy.”

However the Chair of the CPA’s Executive Committee, Mr Dato’ Seri Mohd. Shafie bin Haji Apdal MP, used the opportunity to break away from tradition and make a call for an expansion of the CPA, arguing that its status be changed, from a charity to an “internationally recognised body,” and suggesting that membership of the CPA be extended to non-Commonwealth jurisdictions, including states from the Middle East.

“Whilst I am sure that members recognise and applaud the role the Mother of Parliaments has played throughout the decades, it is a testament to that parliament that now, no member nation is or should be a supplicant or clone of another,” he said

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Secretary General, Dr William Shija, urged delegates not only to look to the past but at forging a new path into the future, unifying behind common goals and using the powerful economic and political advantages of a multi-national organisation

The Commonwealth Deputy Secretary General, Ms Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba, also wished the conference delegates the very best, saying that 1,000 years after construction of the great hall of Westminster - architecture designed for great consultations - the Commonwealth itself continued to stand on similar pillars of co-operation, respect and accountability.

Prof Maurice Iwu- Chair of the nigeria independent Electoral commission in the House of commons
The UK all Party Parliamentary Group on Africa chaired by Hon Hugh Bailey Map for York city and Hon Meg Hellier Mp for Shoreditch and Home office junior minister

Prof Maurice Iwu signing his work that wa s found by the member of the house in the commons

The main purpose of the Africa All-Party Parliamentary Groupis to raise the profile of African and pan-African issues in parliament.The Africa APPG was launched, with unprecedented success, on January the 20th 2003. Hugh Bayley MP and Lord Lea of Crondall decided to set up the group to focus on issues which affect the whole of Africa as a continent.It was agreed to establish an Africa All Party Parliamentary Group to promote Africa, in particular the issues relating to NEPAD, as a foreign policy priority in Parliament.

The members are Hugh Bayley,Lord Lea of Crondall,Lord Chidgey,Mark Pritchard,Baroness D'Souza,Lord Freeman,Sally Keeble.In March 2005 and in advance of the G8 Summit, they published a second report: "The UK Government and Africa in 2005: How joined up is Whitehall?"

Documents relating to APPG :
The Other Side of the Coin: The UK and Corruption in Africa
29th March 2006
Corruption and Money Laundering Inquiry: Confirmed Oral Evidence Sessions
2nd December 2005
DFID Response to to Africa APPPG Recommendations to the UK Government
14th September 2005
HMG Response to AAPPG's report on 'How joined up is Whitehall?'
July 2005
The UK Government and Africa in 2005: How joined up is Whitehall?
March 2005
Averting Catastrophe: AIDS in 21st Century Africa
7th June 2004
Annual Report 2004

Prof Maurice Iwu visit to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA)

The CPA works in the fields of good governance, of democracy and elections, and of human rights, while special attention is also paid to gender sensitizing (through the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians) and to promoting awareness of parliamentary democracy among the youth of the Commonwealth. Active CPA Branches now exist in nearly 170 national, state, provincial and territorial Parliaments and Legislatures, with a total membership approaching 15,000 Parliamentarians.

The Association's mission is to promote the advancement of parliamentary democracy by enhancing knowledge and understanding of democratic governance. It seeks to build an informed parliamentary community able to deepen the Commonwealth's democratic commitment and to further co-operation among its Parliaments and Legislatures. This mission is achieved through a Strategic Plan which ensures CPA activities continue to meet the changing needs of today's Parliamentarians.

CPA programmes provide the sole means of regular consultation among Commonwealth Members, fostering fostering co-operation and understanding promoting the study of and respect for good parliamentary practice. This role is endorsed by Commonwealth Parliaments and Heads of Government