The President of the Pan African Parliament (PAP), H.E Chief Fortune Zephania Charumbira, has rallied national Parliaments and African Member States to support the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), if Africa is to achieve the economic self-sufficiency and prosperity envisioned in the continental developmental blueprint, Agenda 2063.
The President of the Continental Parliament, who is on a bilateral visit to the National Assembly of the Republic of Angola, made these remarks during a meeting with the Speaker of the National Assembly of Angola, Hon. Carolina Cerqeuira, held at the majestic Palace of the National Assembly in Luanda, Angola.
The bilateral visit, which is scheduled for 13th to 16th August 2025, is intended to strengthen bilateral ties between the National Assembly of Angola and the Pan African Parliament in line with Article 11(7) of the PAP Protocol to which obliges the continental legislative institution to, “Promote the coordination and harmonization of policies, measures, programmes and activities of the Regional Economic Communities and the parliamentary fora of Africa.”
The President of the Pan African Parliament will also take advantage of the bilateral visit to engage the President of the Republic of Angola, His Excellency, Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco, as the current Chairperson of the African Union (AU), on the issues affecting the operational effectiveness of the Pan African Parliament and its role in the African Union governance architecture.
H.E. Chief Charumbira acknowledged the changing global geopolitical dynamics evidenced by the withdrawal of donor funding and the imposition of tariffs and travel bans on some African countries by the United States of America (USA), under the leadership of President Donald Trump. He noted that in the wake of these emerging challenges, it cannot be business as usual for Africa. “It is time for Africa to lend its full support to the AfCFTA, which has the potential to grow African economies exponentially by 32% through enhancing intra-Africa trade and thus guaranteeing the economic self-sufficiency of the continent.”
H.E. Chief Charumbira stated that there was no need for Africa to continue importing grain from Ukraine, a country at war, yet 60% of arable land is found on the African continent. “Africa should enhance trade between and among African countries to reduce dependency on western countries and empower the continent to be an influential player in global politics.” He, therefore, called on the National Assembly of Angola, African national Parliaments and Member States, to lend their full support to the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area as a home-grown initiative to strengthen African economies.
The PAP President also congratulated the Speaker of the National Assembly of Angola, Hon. Caroline Cerqeuira, who had made history by being elected as the first female Speaker of the National Assembly of Angola. He stated that it was clear from their engagements that the National Assembly of Angola had elected a competent Speaker with the capacity to steer the National Assembly of Angola to be an effective player in the national governance system as well as in regional and continental Parliamentary diplomacy.
Pursuant to this, H.E. Chief Charumbira conveyed a message from the Speaker of the National Assembly of Zimbabwe and Chairperson of the Lobbying Team of SADC Speakers on the Transformation of the SADC PF into a SADC Regional Parliament, Hon. Advocate Jacob Francis Nzwidamilimo Mudenda, wherein he pleaded with Hon. Speaker Cerqeuira to facilitate the signing of the Agreement establishing the SADC Parliament. H.E. Chief Charumbira noted that only Angola, Madagascar and Seychelles were yet to sign the Agreement.
The Speaker of the National Assembly of Angola, Hon. Carolina Cerqeuira, stated that the visit by the President of the Pan African Parliament, the first of its kind since the inception of the PAP, was an unprecedented milestone which demonstrated the high premium that H.E. Chief Charumbira places on the important role of national Parliaments in contributing to the success and effectiveness of the PAP. She acknowledged the instrumental role that national Parliaments can and should play in establishing policy and legislative frameworks that support the AfCFTA.
Hon. Speaker Cerqeuira confirmed that in support of the role of Regional Parliaments in the governance agenda, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Angola had signed the Agreement establishing the SADC Parliament on Wednesday 13th August 2025. This will facilitate the transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum into a SADC Regional Parliament.
The bilateral visit, which began on 13th August 2025 will conclude with the PAP President’s departure on 16th August 2025. The President of the Pan African Parliament had occasion to plant a tree in the premises of the National Assembly of Angola on Thursday 14th August 2025 as a symbol of the enduring relationship between the PAP and the National Assembly of Angola.
The PAP President was accompanied by Hon. Aires Ali, the Deputy Chairperson of the PAP Southern Region Caucus and Leader of the Mozambican delegation to the PAP. He was received at the 4th of February International Airport by the 1st Vice President of the National Assembly of Angola, Hon. Americo Cuonononca, the Chairperson of the Committee on Foreign Relations, International Cooperation and Angolan Communities, Hon. Alcides Sakala Simoes, and the Chairperson of the National Group for Monitoring of African Parliamentary Organisation, Hon. Manuel Domingos Augusto, who is also the leader of the Angolan delegation to the Pan African Parliament.
