The High Commissioner of India to Rwanda, Mridu Pawan Das, has formally invited the Speaker of Rwanda’s Parliament to attend the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC), scheduled to take place from January 14 to 16, 2026, in New Delhi, India.
The invitation was delivered during a courtesy visit to the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Gertrude Kazarwa, at the Parliament of Rwanda on December 18.
During the meeting, the High Commissioner and the Speaker reaffirmed Rwanda’s commitment to participating in the high-level forum, which brings together Speakers and Presiding Officers of national parliaments from across Commonwealth member states.
Established in 1969, CSPOC serves as an independent platform for parliamentary leaders to exchange experiences, promote democratic values, and strengthen legislative institutions worldwide.
Unlike political summits, CSPOC is deliberately non-partisan. Its mandate focuses on upholding impartiality and fairness in parliamentary leadership, fostering a deeper understanding of parliamentary democracy in its diverse forms, and supporting the development of effective and credible legislatures.
The conference operates independently of both the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the Commonwealth Secretariat, providing a neutral space where Speakers can discuss institutional challenges without political pressure.
As Rwanda continues to consolidate and strengthen its parliamentary institutions, participation in CSPOC is expected to enhance institutional credibility, reinforce democratic norms, and expand international parliamentary cooperation—key pillars of the country’s broader governance agenda.
For Rwanda’s Parliament, engagement in the forum carries both symbolic and practical significance. It positions the country within a global network of parliamentary leadership and allows it to benchmark its legislative practices against those of other Commonwealth nations.
The conference also offers opportunities to learn from international best practices in areas such as maintaining parliamentary neutrality, strengthening oversight functions, improving legislative efficiency, and navigating the evolving role of Speakers in increasingly complex political environments.
