Maldives Parliament has announced that Maldives will host the “CPA Small Branches Workshop 2026,” organised in collaboration with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).

According to a statement issued on Thursday, the workshop is scheduled to take place from April 27 to 29 at Hotel Jen in Malé.

The event is being held with the support of the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Canadian Audit and Accountability Foundation, and a range of financial and governance experts.

Held under the theme “Strong, Independent Parliaments in Small Jurisdictions,” the workshop will bring together Speakers of Parliament, Members of Parliament, senior parliamentary officials from Commonwealth small states, as well as governance specialists.

Notable participants include Speaker of the National Assembly of Belize and Chairperson of the CPA Small Branches, Valerie Woods; Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Samoa, Auapaʻau Mulipola Aloitafua; Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of the Cayman Islands, Pearlina McGaw-Lumsden; Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly of Saint Lucia, Deale Lee; and Justice Murdu Fernando of Sri Lanka.

The Maldivian delegation will be led by Deputy Speaker of the People’s Majlis, Ahmed Nazim, who also serves as the CPA Asia Region Representative. The Maldives currently holds the presidency of the CPA Asia Region.

Parliament stated that the workshop aims to strengthen the effectiveness, sustainability, and independence of parliaments in small jurisdictions.

Discussions will focus on key aspects of democratic governance, including institutional capacity-building, the separation of powers, and enhancing accountability and oversight mechanisms.

The programme will include expert-led sessions, experience-sharing forums, case study discussions, and practical training exercises.

Authorities noted that hosting the workshop reflects the Maldives’ ongoing commitment to advancing democratic governance and strengthening its engagement within the Commonwealth parliamentary network.