H.E. President, Chief Fortune Charumbira appealed for commitment, unity and focus while presenting the Performance Report for March to June 2024 at the currently underway 3rd Ordinary Session of the 6th Pan-African Parliament in Midrand, South Africa
The report, unanimously adopted by the members, outlined the institution’s activities and progress over the past several months. Following the presentation, members of the Pan-African Parliament shared their interventions, reflecting on the achievements and challenges presented in the report.
The Performance Report has not only provided a roadmap for the future but also initiated crucial discussions on how to overcome existing challenges and enhance the Pan-African Parliament's role in continental governance. As the Pan-African Parliament moves forward, its members' interventions reflected alignment with Agenda 2063's Second 10-Year Implementation Plan (2024-2033). This plan focuses on holistic capacity development and transforming Africa's youthful population into a productive force, resonating with Moonshot 6’s vision of empowered African citizens and the AU 2024 theme: "Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century: Building Resilient Education Systems for Increased Access to Inclusive, Lifelong, Quality, and Relevant Learning in Africa."
The Pan-African Parliament serves as a cornerstone in the African Union's framework by facilitating the translation of AU policies and treaties into national legislation, ensuring compliance and enforcement by member states. A key focus will be supporting the AU’s Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA) 2016-2025 and the education-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4. By harmonizing its legislative and oversight responsibilities with the AU's strategic goals, and collaborating closely with pertinent organs within the Union’s framework, Pan-African Parliament can effectively catalyze the adoption of policies that promote inclusive and high-quality education at the national level.
Second Vice President Hon. Ashebir Gayo (Ethiopia) spoke about the unity within the Bureau and the need for operational independence. “We have closed ranks as the Bureau and united for the sake of Africa’s development. We need everyone to work with the current leadership in executing its mandate. It is not an easy task; we need everyone’s contribution for growth and progress. We are also requesting that the AU allows us to run independently. The current setup, where there is interference, is hindering our ability to lobby for resources,” Hon. Gayo noted.
Third Vice President Hon. Lucia Passos (Cape Verde) emphasized the importance of addressing challenges and being proactive. “We need to work hard and raise the status of this Parliament. We have challenges that we can’t hide from; it is time we start being solution-driven if we are to realize a prosperous Africa. Let us initiate a new era that will see us not returning to the dark past. Things have transpired in the past, things that our continent is not proud of. We are challenging all African Parliamentarians out there to assist in lobbying towards having our budget approved by the African Union. We can't live a lie; as it is, we are failing to reach our ability because we are minimized on financial resources,” Hon. Passos urged.
Among the many voices, Hon. Abdul Katinda (Uganda) underscored the need for the Pan-African Parliament to assert its independence, particularly in rule-making and legal matters. “The Pan-African Parliament must take responsibility and draft its own rules. Let the AUC allow PAP to be totally independent in its operations. We need our legal council and Rules committee to work together. Our dream was a prosperous and complete democratic Africa when we created the Parliament,” he stated.
Hon. Danson Mungatana (Kenya) highlighted the need for strong leadership and commitment to the continent’s progress. “We need leadership to take us in the correct direction. As Parliamentarians, we need to be committed to contributing to our continent’s growth, development, and progress. We appreciate the report by the President as it spells positive things despite challenges. We need to remain determined to reach our goals and avoid swinging to the dark past we experienced,” Hon. Mungatana emphasized.
Hon. Fago (Benin) called for a robust advocacy strategy to secure the necessary support for the Parliament. “We need a spirited campaign, advocacy, and setting up missions that will engage Heads of States so that they realize the importance of this parliament and help in approving our requested budget. This is a serious institution that should be professionally considered by any well-wishing African,” Hon. Fago stated.
Hon. Tony Sibandze (Kingdom of Eswatini) stressed the importance of accountability for past financial decisions. “While we acknowledge that we put the past behind us in unity, I believe that we also need someone to take responsibility for the financial decisions that the Parliament incurred while there was a leadership wrangle and confusion at the Parliament. We can't allow that loss to be just ignored as resources are of major concern,” he added.
Echoing the same sentiments as the Parliamentarians, the President, H.E Charumbira highlighted commitment to a better Africa as the Continental Parliament aligns its efforts with Agenda 2063 and Moonshot 6, tanding ready to champion the policies and initiatives that will drive Africa towards a new era of growth, development, and integration.
