Throughout its participation in the 36th Ordinary Session of the African Union Summit, a reinvigorated Pan-African Parliament (PAP) set out to reposition the Continental Parliament as the most viable instrument to connect the African Union with the African citizenry.
The African Union (AU) was officially launched in July 2002 in Durban, South Africa, following a decision in September 1999 by its predecessor, the OAU to create a new continental organisation to build on its work. The decision to re-launch was triggered by a need to refocus attention from the fight for decolonisation and ridding the continent of apartheid, which had been the focus of the OAU, towards increased cooperation and integration of African states to drive Africa’s growth and economic development. There were also widespread demands "for an African Union responsible to the people of Africa, not just the states of Africa."
The Pan-African Parliament was therefore established in 2004 to realise the vision of a people-centred African Union, which ensures the full participation of Africans in the economic development and integration of the continent. Indeed, the Pan-African Parliament is intended as a platform for people from all African states to be involved in discussions and decision-making on the problems and challenges facing the continent.
H.E. Chief Fortune Charumbira, President of the PAP and the Bureau have embarked on a process to “revive, renew, reposition, and reinvigorate” the Parliament to ensure that it lives up to its expectations as envisaged by founding founders. The 36th Ordinary Session of the AU Summit held on 18 and 19 February 2023 afforded an opportunity for the PAP leadership to promote the renewal of the Continental Parliament and mobilise support within the Executive branch of the union for the fulfilment of its mandate.
The 36th Session of Heads of State and Government of the AU was preceded by the 42nd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council in which the PAP delegation took an active part. Among others, the PAP delegation led consultations on the role of the Pan-African Parliament and other Regional and National Parliaments in implementing the AU Theme of 2023.
The recently concluded AU Summit adopted the Year 2023 as the “Year of AfCFTA: Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area Implementation”. African Parliamentarians are expected to play a key role in generating more significant political commitment and accelerating the effective implementation of the AfCFTA to fully benefit the African citizenry and achieve the Aspirations and goals of Agenda 2063.
For two days, the Assembly of AU examined among others the strategic status report of their session such as the Report on the Institutional Reforms of the AU presented by H.E Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, the Report on the activities of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) and the state of peace and security in Africa, the Report on global political, financial and energy policy governance, presented by H.E Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal and the Report on the global food crisis.
Reports of Heads of State and Government committees of the Assembly notably, the Reports of the forum of Heads of State and Government participating in the African Peer Review Mechanism APRM forum) by H.E. Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and Chairperson of the African peer review mechanism (APRM), the Report of the AUDA-NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee, and the Report of the AU Committee of Ten (C-10) Heads of State and Government on the Reform of the UN Security Council, was also considered during the summit.
Reports of the Leaders on specific thematic issues such as the Annual Report of the AUC Chairperson including the Champions reports, the report on the African Union response on Covid-19 pandemic in Africa, by H.E Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa and AU Champion for the Covid-19 pandemic response, Report on the evaluation of the First-Ten Year Implementation Plan (STYIP) by H.E Alassane Ouattara, President of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire and the report on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by H.E Mahamadou Issoufou, former President of the Republic of Niger and leader on AfCFTA, including the report of the Committee of the African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC), were also discussed during the summit.
The PAP is expected to hold a Sitting of its Permanent Committees and other Organs from 6 to 17 March 2023 under the AU theme of the year. The meetings will take stock of the key decisions made during the AU Summit and devise an action plan on how to accompany the implementation from a parliamentary perspective.
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