Earlier today, Minister of Justice and Correctional Services of the Republic of South Africa, Hon. Minister Ronald Lamola officially opened the first Ordinary Session of the sixth Parliament of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP).
The representative of H.E Cyril Ramaphosa commended the PAP Bureau for premising the Session on the African Union (AU) theme for 2022 “Building Resilience in nutrition on the African Continent: accelerate the human capital, social and economic development.”
While addressing delegates at the seat of the Parliament in Midrand, Minister Ronald Lamola said the theme of the Session could not have been more appropriate given the challenges that Africa is facing which include hunger and lack of food security.
“The current geo-political context characterized by uncertainty, nationalism and polarization, and compounded by the impacts of climate change, among which our continent is the hardest hit, continues to present challenges for food security and nutrition. As you well know, healthy and well-nourished citizens and modern agriculture for increased productivity and production are some of the key goals included in the African Union Agenda 2063, the Africa We Want.
“I believe that the Model Law on Food and Nutrition Security in Africa discussed during the Committee Sittings held August 2022 provides guidance on how best to align these functions of food security and nutrition which tend to be located in the Ministries of Agriculture and Health respectively,” said Minister Ronald Lamola.
Cognizant of the urgency and importance of having the Malabo Protocol ratified, Hon Minister Ronald Lamola encouraged the PAP to take the advocacy notch for the ratification of the protocol higher:
“Furthermore, in order to strengthen the mandate of the PAP such that it becomes a legislative organ of the African Union as envisaged in the 2014 Malabo Protocol, I would like to appeal to all Parliamentarians to continue the advocacy work for the ratification of the afore-mentioned 2014 Malabo Protocol so that it may enter into force as soon as possible.
South Africa is seized with the process of ratification of the Malabo Protocol, and we hope to report good news in this regard, in the near future.”
Hon. Lamola congratulated the PAP Bureau for the progress made since taking office in June 2022. Among other issues that he believes the PAP should champion, he mentioned the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which he believes is a vehicle to transform the African economic terrain with special emphasis on trade.
“The African Continental Free Trade Area is also one of the tools at our disposal to contribute to greater integration, but it would require the finalization of harmonization of standards across the Continent and the streamlining of our Supply Chains, among others.
Much depends on the progress that we make at the national level to adopt the relevant legislation that will allow the commencement of preferential trade, for instance, on trade in goods. Encouraging progress is being registered on the agreed five priority areas, being finance, transport, tourism, communications, and professional sectors.”
Minister Lamola further restated the South African Government’s assurance to support the work of the PAP.
“Finally, I wish to reiterate on behalf of the Government of South Africa, our commitment to provide all the necessary support to facilitate the work of the Pan-African Parliament. In this respect, the South African government remains resolute that the permanent precinct of the Pan- African Parliament is finalized, and my government has made good progress in resolving the issues that have been obstacles. Our goal is to ensure that the African Union Organs hosted in South Africa are housed under one roof,” concluded Minister Ronald Lamola.
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