Statement by H.E. Ambassador Marie-Antoinette Rose Quatre, CEO of the APRM continental secretariat, at the 5th session of the 6th Pan-African Parliament
Your Excellency Chief Fortune Charumbira, President of the Pan African Parliament and Members of the Bureau of PAP
Your Excellency Hon Thandi Moraka, My Dear Sister, Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa and our Gracious Host
Your Excellency Amb. Miguel César Domingos Bembe, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Angola to the African Union, Chairperson of the Permanent Représentatives’ Committee of the African Union and the Guest of Honour
Your Excellency Amb. Azapayeke, Dean of African Diplomatic Corps in South Africa
Your Excellency Youssouf Mondoha Assoumani, Permanent Representative of the Union of the Comoros to the African Union and Dean of African Diplomatic Corps in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the seat of the African Union
Members of the AU Permanent Representatives Council
Heads of Regional Parliaments
Your Excellency Hon Hamma Salama, Speaker of the Saharawi National Council
Your Excellency Hilarion Etong, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie, Bonjour Tous
Your Excellencies Chairpersons of the Permanent Commitees of the Pan African Parliament
Honourable Members of the Pan African Parliament
Your Excellency, My Dear Sister Boemo Mmandu Sekgoma, Secretary General of SADC Parliamentary Forum
My Dear Good Sister Dr. Nardos Bekele-Thomas, CEO of AUDA-NEPAD
Heads of AU Organs
My Dear Sister Lindiwe Khumalo, Clerk of the Pan African Parliament
Your Excellencies Ambassadors and High Commissioners
Distinguished Delegates
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As a former Member of Parliament and CEO of the APRM Continental Secretariat, it is both a privilege and a great honour that I have been afforded an opportunity to address this esteemed 5th Session of the 6th Pan African Parliament. I kindly wish to extend sincere gratitude and deep appreciation to the leadership of PAP for this opportunity.
YOUR EXCELLENCIES
The convening authority of the Pan African Parliament to all of us, is indeed premised on the fact and reality that PAP is the voice of African peoples and custodian of democratic values. It has been established conscious of the imperative and urgent need to further consolidate the aspirations of the African peoples for greater unity, solidarity and cohesion in a larger community transcending cultural, ideological, ethic and religious and national differences.
YOUR EXCELLENCIES
Africa stands at a cross roads. On Thursday last week, 17 July, 2025, during the Joint Consultative Meeting between the AU Peace and Security Council and the PAP, I listened attentively to the presentation of Amb. Bankole Adeoye, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs and Peace and Security, on the topic: Contextualising the State of Governance, Peace and Security in Africa. Amb. Bankole highlighted that amongst the emerging and pervasive threats to peace, security and stability on the continent are:
exponential growth of terrorism;
violent extremism and transnational organised crime;
unprecedented inter-state tensions and disputes;
renewed cold war like geo-political and ideological competition;
governance deficit amongst others
The APRM Country Review Reports which are in in-depth assessment of governance in our Member States reveal persistent weaknesses in public sector management, institutional capacity, and citizen trust in state institutions, all of which impede sustainable development and regional stability. The Africa Governance Report on Unconstitutional Changes of Government (2023) and The Africa Governance Report on Natural Resources Governance (2025) both prepared by the APRM in close collaboration with the AGA Platform Members and adopted by the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government all point exactly to what the APRM Country Review Reports have revealed and what Amb. Bankole highlighted last week.
The burning question facing all of us today is: What is to be Done? There is no doubt that this concerning trajectory has profound implications for our continental objectives, not least Agenda 2063’s vision of an Integrated, prosperous, and peaceful Africa. It is therefore imperative that we act decisively and collaboratively to reverse these trends, bolster democratic institutions, and promote good governance as a prerequisite for inclusive economic growth and the upliftment of African livelihoods.
YOUR EXCELLENCIES
Youth empowerment and youth unemployment is a matter of life and death. As Amb Bankole said last week: “We have to give a special attention to our youth, If not it is a time bomb.” Lack of jobs and opportunities for youth can lead to social unrest, as shown by the civil uprisings and protests on the continent and elsewhere. As the APRM we shall be submitting to the AGA Platform of which PAP is an important member a proposal for the Africa Governance Report 2027 to focus Youth in Governance : From Promise to Prosperity. The theme recognises Africa’s youth as the cornerstone of sustainable development, democratic governance and economic prosperity.
We therefore call on PAP and other AGA Platform Members to support the APRM proposal for the next AGR to focus on Youth in Governance.
YOUR EXCELLENCIES
Democracy and good governance cannot be achieved by the Executive arm of government alone. It requires the full participation of all stakeholders, particularly legislative bodies, which serve as custodians of democratic norms and as the voice of the people. Parliaments both at the national and continental levels, play a pivotal role in overseeing government action, scrutinising public policy, and ensuring accountability for the delivery of national development priorities.
Political Parties are also important stakeholders often forgotten in the promotion of democracy and good governance. Political Parties are entities established in our Member States to contest for state power democratically and legitimately. It is for this reason that the APRM will work closely with the Pan African Parliament, the African Union Commission and other relevant AU Institutions and Partners to convene the Pan African Intra-Political Party Dialogue on Democracy and Good Governance in Africa. We are going to initiate the regional segment of the Dialogue with Southern Africa towards the end of the year.
YOUR EXCELLENCIES
During the Opening Ceremony of the 47th Ordinary Session of the AU Executive Council eleven days ago on 10 July, 2025 in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea two days ago, Amb. Claver Gatete, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ECA said and I quote:
“We meet at a time when the world is facing a convergence of crises from climate instability, escalating geopolitical tensions, constrained development finance, high indebtedness to mounting economic uncertainty. These global headwinds have only amplified longstanding structural challenges across Africa…. It is unacceptable that after 60 years of independence, we have only two investment grade rated countries on the continent. That is why the ECA continues to advocate for the establishment of an African Credit Rating Agency, one that reflects our economic fundamentals, not external biases.”
YOUR EXCELLENCIES
The African Credit Rating Agency, a flagship project of the APRM, will be a private sector owned, driven and self-sustainable entity.The decision to establish the AfCRA emanates from concerns over the impact of poor ratings in African Countries by the three leading ICRAs, namely: Standard & Poor's (S&P), Moody's, and Fitch – which are domiciled outside the African continent.
YOUR EXCELLENCIES
This can not continue. We can no longer accept being infairly rated by entities that have limited knowledge on what is going on in our own Member States. It is our solemn conviction that AfCRA represents more than a credit rating agency—it is a symbol of Africa’s economic sovereignty, a vehicle for financial empowerment, a catalyst for effective resource mobilisation, integration and long-term growth.
This is why we call on PAP as the voice of the people to advocate for favourable credit ratings of AU Member States, acceleration of efforts towards the establishment of the African Credit Rating Agency as directed by the AU Policy Organs. Clear, transparent and strategic communication on credit ratings plays a crucial role in allowing for public participation, and the articulation of views on progress regarding a country’s economic reform agenda.
YOUR EXCELLLECIES
As I conclude, at the APRM we stand shoulder to shoulder with PAP in all its efforts towards the full realisation of its objectives as articulated in Article 3 of the PAP Protocol. I am not saying this out of convenience and expediency, but out of a deep conviction to always transcend words into concrete action with impact and tangible results. At this important 5th Session of the 6th Pan African Parliament, the APRM and the PAP will formalise their strategic collaboration through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This landmark agreement is a testament to our shared commitment to accelerate the speedy realisation of Aspiration 3 of AU Agenda 2063: An Africa of good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice and the rule of law and Aspiration 4 : A peaceful and secure Africa.
The Great Nelson Mandela has taught us that: "Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world." We solemnly believe that the shared vision between the APRM and PAP with concrete action by both institutions will ensure the speedily realisation of AU Agenda 2063 Aspirations and most importantly the Second Ten Year Implementation Plan. It is a crystal clear manifestation of the entrenchment of the solidarity between APRM and PAP.
YOUR EXCELLENCIES
Let us work together to cement democratic governance, fortify our institutions, and build an Africa where leadership is accountable, resources are equitably managed, rights are protected, and economic prosperity and opportunities abound for all people.
I THANK YOU
SHUKRAN
SIYABONGA
GRACIAS
OBRIGADO
MERCI
ASANTE SANA
