Since its establishment in 2004 the PAP has held two plenary sessions per year with each session lasting for two weeks. These sessions are preceded by Permanent Committee Sittings which consider issues of a continental nature. 
The plenary considers reports from the committees and makes recommendation for the attention of Heads of State and Governments. Some of the themes which have been debated by the PAP include but are not limited to: 

  1. Promotion of Human Rights and Governance 
  2. Promotion of Intra- African Trade and harmonization of trade tariffs and movement of people, goods and services; 
  3.  Illicit financial flows; 
  4. Natural Resources extraction and eradication of poverty; 
  5. Youth and Employment Creation
  6. Climate Change 
  7. Health and Nutrition on the Continent