The 6th Annual Meeting of the Association of Clerks and Secretaries-General of African Parliaments (ASGAP) was hosted by the Pan-African Parliament at its Midrand headquarters, South Africa. The meeting brought together senior parliamentary administrators from across Africa to reflect on institutional strengthening, enhance inter-parliamentary cooperation, and align parliamentary administrations with African Union (AU) priorities.
In his welcome remarks, PAP President, H.E. Chief Fortune Charumbira, underscored the indispensable role of parliaments as one of the three arms of the state and cautioned against the marginalisation of legislatures in governance. The President further highlighted the centrality of parliaments in accelerating the ratification and domestication of AU treaties, particularly the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and stressed that effective trade laws and legislative frameworks are essential to unlock Africa’s economic potential. He drew attention to Africa’s youthful population, warning that failure to provide adequate opportunities could undermine democratic institutions, while reaffirming the role of parliaments in addressing youth empowerment, women’s inclusion, and peacebuilding through parliamentary diplomacy.
Delivering the keynote address, Ms Lindiwe Khumalo, Clerk of PAP reflected on the meeting theme, “Strengthening Parliamentary Cooperation for Effective Implementation of AU Treaties and Continental Priorities”. She highlighted the critical role of Clerks and Secretaries-General as custodians of parliamentary integrity and institutional memory, whose technical leadership ensures institutional continuity, information-sharing, and professional development of parliamentary staff. She urged participants to use the ASGAP platform for solidarity and coordinated action, strengthen collaboration among clerks to advance AU priorities, and prepare Africa’s collective voice for the forthcoming Parliament 20 (P20) Summit in Cape Town.
African Union Commission (AUC) Legal Officer, Olatoundji Adanlao, noted that while over 65 AU legal instruments have been adopted since the establishment of the OAU/AU, less than half have been ratified, with only 41 treaties currently in force. He recommended measures to accelerate ratification and domestication, including the establishment of National Sectoral Committees, targeted campaigns for key treaties such as the Malabo Protocol and AfCFTA, provision of technical assistance and legislative training to Member States, and enhanced treaty visibility through handbooks and interactive online platforms. He emphasized the crucial role of parliaments in actively scrutinizing, prioritizing, and monitoring treaty processes to close the gap between adoption and implementation.
The meeting’s centerpiece was the adoption of the 2024 ASGAP Implementation Matrix, outlining actions to accelerate AU treaty domestication, enhance information-sharing, strengthen staff exchanges, build parliamentary capacity, and embed Agenda 2063 into national frameworks. The discussions also focused on Africa’s preparations for the P20 Summit, encouraging Clerks to support Speakers in articulating Africa’s common positions on climate resilience, trade justice, youth empowerment, and ethical resource governance.
By adopting its 2024 report and action plan, ASGAP reaffirmed its commitment to translating the Association’s vision into concrete outcomes, ensuring African parliaments remain central actors in continental integration, development, and global parliamentary diplomacy.
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