Address by His Excellency Ambassador Professor Miguel Cesar Domingo Bembe, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Angola to the African Union and Chairman of the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the African Union, on the opening of the 5th Ordinary Session of the 6th Legislature of the Pan-African Parliament
Mr President of the Pan-African Parliament;
Vice-Presidents of the Pan-African Parliament;
Honourable Parliamentarians;
Esteemed Representatives of the Member States;
Dear Guests;
Ladies and Gentlemen;
All protocol observed.
It is with great honour that we address this august Assembly, as Chairperson of the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Member States of the African Union (CRP-AU), on the occasion of the solemn opening of the 5th Ordinary Session of the 6th Legislature of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), a symbolic moment of great significance for our continent.
We would therefore like to thank the Honourable President of this parliamentary house, Chief Fortune Charumbira, for inviting us to take part in this event, in a space that symbolises hope and the collective will for a fairer, more united and more sovereign continent.
Excellencies,
The Pan-African Parliament represents one of the most remarkable achievements of the African Union's institutionalisation process, and is a noble expression of the ideal of African unity.
Created to ensure the active participation of African peoples in the construction of their common destiny, the Pan-African Parliament reflects not only the voice of Governments, but above all the aspirations of the citizens of our Continent and the Diaspora.
Although it still has a predominantly consultative mandate, the Pan-African Parliament has established itself as a vital space for political dialogue, the production of legislative knowledge and mobilisation around the continent's major issues.
The Pan-African Parliament's relevance goes beyond its institutional role. It lies in its ability to give voice, to echo the silences of history and to express the aspirations of a continent that yearns for greater justice, democracy and plural representation.
Excellencies,
This 5th Ordinary Session of the 6th Legislature is taking place at a particularly symbolic moment when the African Union is dedicating the year 2025 to the theme: “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations”.
This theme, more than a call to memory, is an urgent plea for action, historical truth, dignity and justice. We are challenged to transform our speeches into concrete and courageous commitments, clearly confronting the legacies of slavery, colonialism, structural racism and historical injustices.
It's time to reaffirm our commitment to a future built on memory, dignity, reparation and reconciliation.
This issue also imposes a moral and political imperative on us. Reparations must not only be seen from a financial perspective, but as a broad set of symbolic, institutional, legal, cultural and political measures aimed at restoring the dignity and opportunities historically denied to our peoples.
In this context, the Pan-African Parliament, as the third organ of the African Union, has a key role to play:
- Establish itself as an inclusive forum, a space for discussion and participation where the voices and perspectives of all Africans, including those from the diaspora, are heard and valued, without discrimination or exclusion.
- Promote institutional and popular debate on the subject of reparations and other situations of concern to African citizens.
- Draw up concrete and guiding proposals to be submitted to the highest authorities on the African continent.
- Strengthen ties with the African Diaspora and racial justice movements around the world, and
- Monitor the fulfilment of commitments made at continental level.
Excellencies,
The five pillars listed above show that, despite its noble mission and the progress it has already made, the Pan-African Parliament continues to face multidimensional challenges that limit its actions.
Among the most permanent obstacles that require a collective and swift response are:
- The scarcity of sustainable financial resources and excessive dependence on external funding.
- The lack of binding legislative powers.
- The frequent internal frictions that threaten the cohesion and credibility of the institution.
- The fragmentation of implementation policies in the member states.
- The failure to implement necessary institutional reforms, which must, however, take into account and reflect the unique mandate of this Body, and
- The lack of effective accountability and monitoring mechanisms.
These six (6) major challenges do not diminish the value of the institution, but remind us of the need for a profound renewal of political commitment, the integration of national and regional agendas and the mobilisation of an active and aware citizenry.
It is crucial that this institution be given the means, autonomy and legitimacy it needs to fulfil its mandate with firmness, transparency and lasting impact. Only in this way can it continue to be a true engine of transformation for the continent and a beacon of hope for future generations.
Excellencies,
The Republic of Angola, in the exercise of its mandate as President pro tempore of the African Union (2025-2026), representing Southern Africa, reiterates its willingness and readiness to continue cooperating with the Pan-African Parliament, seeking to strengthen its technical and operational capacities, following the example of the decisions adopted by the Executive Council, on the proposal of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC).
In addition to re-establishing the financial status quo ante-COVID, it is absolutely essential to affirm this august institution not only as a consultative body, but as a real legislative driving force in the African integration process, as well as an active and permanent defender of the legitimate interests of the peoples of our continent, both within and outside its geographical borders.
In this spirit of fraternal co-operation and collective construction, allow us to present eleven (11) recommendations that we believe are essential and decisive for the institutional strengthening of this important organ of the African Union:
- Ensure that the conduct of parliamentarians is guided by mutual respect and is rooted in the principles and objectives that led to the creation of the AU, enshrined in its Constitutive Act, namely the promotion of peace, security and stability; unity, sustainable development and inclusive economic integration, the defence of national sovereignty, territorial integrity and common interests, as well as the strengthening of international cooperation;
- Intensify parliamentary diplomacy to speed up the ratification of the Malabo Protocol with member states, so as to give the Pan-African Parliament binding legislative powers, enabling it to legislate authoritatively on matters of common interest at the level of the continent.
- Articulate with national and regional parliaments for the creation of formal legislative coordination mechanisms capable of promoting normative harmonisation and the coherence of public policies.
- Comply with and enforce the Executive Council's decision to hold elections to the PAP Bureau in February 2026.
- Finalise the alignment of the Rules of Procedure with the PAP Protocol in relation to mandates and reiterate the principle of rotation, the report of which should have been presented to the Executive Council held this July in Malabo. As President of the Bureau of the PRC, I will endeavour to ensure that this decision is implemented.
- Accelerate the process of harmonising the allowances and benefits of AU bodies in order to re-establish the emoluments of PAP Members. This exercise will improve the functioning of the PAP and its Members in terms of efficiency and performance.
- Continue to formulate model laws on various themes, in collaboration with the Specialised Technical Committees (STCs) and other organs of the African Union.
- Strengthen technical and administrative capacity building, with a particular focus on continuous training for parliamentarians and their support staff, in areas such as international law, parliamentary diplomacy, public policy formulation, governance, budget management and conflict prevention and mediation.
- Promote a culture of accountability by setting up independent monitoring, auditing and evaluation mechanisms to guarantee transparency and responsibility in the management of resources, as well as consolidating the trust of citizens and member states in this august parliamentary house.
- Establish structural and permanent channels for dialogue with civil society to ensure that the multiple voices of the continent, especially the younger generations, are heard and represented in the continental political and legislative process, and
- Implement the conclusions of the Joint Consultative Meeting between the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (PSC) and the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), held in this House on the 17th and 18th of this month, with the aim of coordinating the efforts of the PSC/PAP, complementing each other in addressing the challenges of governance, peace and security on the continent.
Excellencies,
Along these lines, co-operation between the parliaments of the AU member states and the Pan-African Parliament is absolutely important for strengthening democracy and governance on the continent.
Through collective and concerted action, these parliamentary institutions can make a real contribution to:
- Harmonise their national legislation with continental objectives.
- Promote better implementation of AU policies, and
- Improve the representation of African citizens at continental level, in particular by strengthening the voice of the various peoples that make up our continent in the ‘supranational’ decision-making process.
This synergy makes it essential to create a space for uninterrupted dialogue on common challenges such as governance, peace, security and sustainable development, one of the priority strategic lines of the Republic of Angola as Chairperson-in-Office of the African Union, under the leadership of His Excellency President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, with a view to consolidating our continent's ambition for political and economic integration. The institutionalisation of this space for dialogue will certainly strengthen the legitimacy of the PAP as a bulwark for African governance.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We would like to reiterate that this session represents a unique opportunity to reaffirm, with clarity and conviction, our shared commitment to strengthening continental integration, the effective empowerment of our citizens and the ethical and political imperative of repairing centuries of injustice.
May it result in consistent proposals, concrete guidelines and a renewed mobilisation of African member states, institutions and societies around the values of justice, dignity and cohesion.
Historical justice can no longer be postponed. The time for reparation is now. The dignity of our peoples demands determined, courageous and transformative action, equal to the challenges of the present and the legitimate aspirations of future generations.
Thank you very much.
