The meeting was informed that Uganda had offered to host the 2012 IPU Assembly and that negotiations around this were at an advanced stage. In addition, Uganda hosting the IPU in 2012 would coincide with its 60th year of independence. Canada which had previously requested to host the 2011 Assembly (which would now be hosted by Panama), but had been unsuccessful as it could not guarantee that all countries would be granted visas to enter Canada, had subsequently written to request that it host the 2012 Assembly. Although it was indicated by Canada that the issue of visas would be resolved, no written guarantee had yet been given. It was the position of the meeting that the candidature of Uganda, which was at an advanced stage, should be supported by the Africa Geopolitical Group.