By Jones Anlimah
Ghana’s Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has been unanimously elected Chairperson of the Africa Geopolitical Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). The election took place on October 19, 2025, during the ongoing 151st IPU Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.
The 52-member Africa Group is one of the IPU’s key continental blocs, responsible for shaping Africa’s collective voice on major international parliamentary decisions and policies. Speaker Bagbin’s election is being hailed as a significant boost for Ghana’s global parliamentary diplomacy and leadership.
In his new role, Rt. Hon. Bagbin will coordinate and harmonize the continent’s common positions on governance, peace, security, and sustainable development, while also representing Africa’s parliamentary interests within the IPU.
In his inaugural remarks, Speaker Bagbin expressed gratitude to African delegations for their confidence in his leadership, particularly acknowledging the Nigerian delegation for seconding his nomination and the Senegalese delegation for withdrawing their candidate in the spirit of unity. He pledged to promote deeper collaboration among African parliaments, emphasizing transparency, democratic consolidation, and institutional strengthening as key priorities.
The Speaker’s election adds to his impressive record of international parliamentary leadership. He currently serves as President of the Conference of Speakers and Presidents of African Legislatures (CoSPAL) and is the immediate past Chair of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) International.
Speaker Bagbin succeeds Ms. Angela Thokozile Didiza, Speaker of South Africa’s National Assembly, who is credited with an outstanding tenure.
Established in the 1950s, the IPU Africa Geopolitical Group plays a vital role in ensuring fair continental representation on the IPU’s executive bodies and committees. It also serves as a platform for coordinating Africa’s policy positions and advancing the continent’s interests within the global parliamentary framework.
