Liberia to Host African Parliamentary Leaders at 4th CoSPAL General Assembly Dec 2026

* Monrovia to host Speakers, Presidents of African legislatures 

* As CoSPAL seeks harmonised laws to boost intra-African trade, investment

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

Liberia is set to host what the Conference of Speakers and Presidents of African Legislatures (CoSPAL) described as the largest gathering of African parliamentary leaders at the 4th CoSPAL General Assembly in December 2026.

CoSPAL disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.

The three-day assembly, scheduled for December 9 to 11 in Monrovia, will bring together Speakers and Presidents of national legislatures from across the continent to deliberate on legislative measures capable of accelerating intra-African trade and investment.

The gathering will be held under the theme, ‘Enhancing Intra-African Trade and Investment Through Legislative Leadership and Parliamentary Cooperation.’

The confirmation of Liberia as host followed a high-level assessment visit to Monrovia by a delegation of the CoSPAL Secretariat led by its Secretary-General, Ambassador Dapo Oyewole.

The delegation, which visited Liberia from September 16 to 20, inspected proposed facilities, reviewed logistical arrangements and held consultations with the local organising committee and relevant government authorities.

The assessment culminated in a meeting on Saturday, September 19, with the Speaker of Liberia’s House of Representatives, Hon. Richard Nagbe Koon, during which the delegation presented its findings.

The meeting also witnessed the signing of the 4th CoSPAL General Assembly Country Host Agreement, formally confirming Liberia as the host country for the continental parliamentary gathering.

The assembly is expected to focus extensively on the role of African legislatures in removing legal and regulatory obstacles to economic integration.

According to CoSPAL, discussions will centre on how national laws and regulatory frameworks can be developed, adopted and harmonised to establish a more coherent legislative environment capable of facilitating the movement of people, goods, services and investments across African borders.

CoSPAL said the parliamentary leaders are also expected to examine legislative and institutional measures required to translate existing continental commitments on economic integration into practical benefits for businesses, citizens and national economies.

Speaking after the assessment visit, the statement added that Koon said Liberia was honoured to host an assembly focused on strengthening the legislative foundations for intra-African trade and investment.

“We are delighted to welcome the assessment team from the CoSPAL Secretariat, led by the Secretary-General, Amb. Dapo Oyewole, to Liberia,” he said.

He added that the visit provided an opportunity for the Liberian authorities and CoSPAL Secretariat to assess facilities, review necessary processes and ensure that the institutional arrangements required for a successful assembly were in place.

The Speaker said Liberia looked forward to welcoming Speakers and Presidents of African legislatures to Monrovia for the December gathering.

Also speaking, Oyewole said Africa’s economic integration required legislative systems capable of translating continental commitments into practical outcomes.

He stressed that harmonising laws and establishing enabling legislative and regulatory frameworks across African countries were essential to creating an environment where Africans could move, trade and invest more easily across the continent.

“As the highest platform for Africa’s legislative leaders, the 4th CoSPAL General Assembly will provide an important opportunity for the continent’s legislative leaders to collaboratively advance these priorities and translate them into concrete action,” Oyewole said.

He commended Koon, the local organising committee and other Liberian stakeholders for their preparations towards the gathering.

The Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee and Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Hon. Nehker E. Gaye, said the committee had been working with the CoSPAL Secretariat to ensure that the necessary facilities, systems and structures were in place.

Gaye also commended the Liberian government agencies involved in preparations for the assembly, expressing confidence that the country would successfully host the continental legislative gathering.

CoSPAL and the Liberian House of Representatives reaffirmed their commitment to continued cooperation ahead of the December meeting.

They said the assembly would seek to strengthen legislative leadership, promote the harmonisation of laws supporting intra-African trade and investment, and advance Africa’s wider economic development agenda.

Established in 2022, CoSPAL is an indigenous pan-African institution comprising Speakers and Presidents of national legislatures.

The organisation seeks to strengthen legislative leadership, advance parliamentary diplomacy and promote collective legislative action on issues of shared continental interest.

CoSPAL was established under the leadership of Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, then Speaker of Nigeria’s 9th House of Representatives, alongside other African legislative leaders, including Hon. Tagesse Chafo of Ethiopia, Hon. Justin Muturi of Kenya, Hon. Donatille Mukabalisa of Rwanda, Hon. Moustapha Niasse of Senegal, Hon. Mike Oquaye of Ghana and Hon. Thandi Modise of South Africa.