Commonwealth Africa region headquarters to be built in Dodoma

ARUSHA: THE Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa Region Headquarters is set to be constructed in Dodoma as preparations for its commencement are underway.

This was revealed by Special Seats Member of Parliament (CHADEMA), Ms Salome Makamba, who also serves as a member of the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa Region.

She made the announcement during an interview with the media following the conclusion of the 53rd CPA Africa Region Annual General Conference in Arusha over the weekend.

Ms Makamba said one of the most significant outcomes of Saturday’s session was the decision to construct the Commonwealth Africa Region headquarters in Dodoma.

“The Commonwealth Africa Region headquarters will be built in Dodoma and the process of selecting a contractor is currently underway. The construction is estimated to cost more than 30 million US dollars.”

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She further expressed that this is great news for Tanzania, a country renowned for its hospitality.

“Hosting such meetings can be costly, but today we are seeing the fruits of our investment in hospitality. I commend President Samia Suluhu Hassan for continuing to support the CPA Africa Region with hospitality funds. I know significant expenses are involved, but now we are seeing the positive results of this investment,” she added.

Special Seats Member of Parliament (CCM) and member of the CPA Africa Region Executive Committee, Dr Alice Kaijage, also shared insights from the meeting. She mentioned that key topics of discussion included climate change and youth employment.

Dr Kaijage praised Tanzania’s efforts in addressing climate change, stating that the initiatives led by President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s government serve as an excellent example for other CPA Africa Region member states.

“Our sixth phase government, under President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, has demonstrated effective leadership in dealing with climate change. This includes educating communities on how to mitigate and adapt to its impacts,” said Dr Kaijage.

She added that the meeting commended Tanzania’s proactive approach to climate change, highlighting the importance of early education for communities in addressing this global issue.

During the conference’s conclusion, over 20 resolutions were presented by the Chairperson of the Resolutions Committee, Ms Nontembeko Boyce, who is also the Speaker of the KwaZulu Natal Lower House in South Africa. These resolutions were approved by all delegates.

The resolutions included urging African governments to implement policy reforms that integrate climate change strategies into all levels of governance, encouraging community involvement through public awareness campaigns and promoting cross-border initiatives to tackle shared climate challenges such as desertification, droughts and floods.