National Assembly Advances Parliamentary Diplomacy at Commonwealth Speakers’ Conference in India

The National Assembly of Saint Christopher and Nevis has concluded a week of intensive parliamentary diplomacy Commonwealth engagement following its participation in the 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC), held in New Delhi, India, from 14th to 18th January, 2026.

The delegation was led by Speaker of the National Assembly, Lanein Blanchette, accompanied by Deputy Speaker Senator Latoya Jones and Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, Mauriel Knight. The conference brought together presiding officers from forty-five legislatures across the Commonwealth, providing a high-level forum for dialogue, cooperation and the exchange of best practices in parliamentary governance.

During the conference, discussions focused on emerging and complex issues shaping modern legislatures, including the growing role of artificial intelligence in parliamentary processes, strategies to strengthen citizen engagement beyond elections, and the impact of social media on democratic institutions. These deliberations reinforced the relevance of parliamentary diplomacy Commonwealth frameworks in navigating global political and technological change.

On the margins of CSPOC, the National Assembly’s delegation engaged in bilateral and multilateral discussions with representatives of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and several Caribbean delegations. A key highlight was a bilateral meeting on 16th January with Om Birla, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, at his office in New Delhi.

During the meeting, Speaker Birla underscored the long standing relationship between India and St. Kitts and Nevis, noting the shared democratic traditions of both nations and India’s continued commitment to supporting the Global South. He expressed the Lok Sabha’s interest in deepening cooperation with the National Assembly, particularly in areas of mutual development interest. Speaker Blanchette welcomed the opportunity to expand legislative relations, conveyed greetings from the Prime Minister, Parliament, Government and people of the Federation, and highlighted the country’s focus on food security and agricultural development as potential areas for collaboration. The meeting concluded with the presentation of a commemorative copy of the Constitution of the Republic of India to the National Assembly.

The conference also yielded a significant outcome for regional representation. Arising from deliberations within the Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic Region of CSPOC, Speaker Blanchette was elected as a Regional Representative to the CSPOC Standing Committee. The Standing Committee serves as the principal governing body of the conference, with representation drawn from its nine global regions. Speaker Blanchette will serve a two-year term alongside the Hon. Claudius Francis, Speaker of the House of Assembly of St. Lucia.

Officials said the engagement aligns with the National Assembly’s broader objective of strengthening parliamentary democracy and enhancing parliamentary diplomacy Commonwealth engagement, particularly within the Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic region. The visit was supported through financial assistance from the Government of India, and the National Assembly expressed gratitude to the Lok Sabha Secretariat, the Government and people of India, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their support and coordination throughout the visit.