The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) convened the 2025 Annual Conference of Speakers in Midrand, bringing together legislative leaders from national and regional parliaments to discuss governance, peace, security, youth empowerment, trade, and Africa’s role on the global stage.
The conference opened with PAP President Hon. Chief Fortune Charumbira, who emphasized the vital role of parliaments as a “permanent arm of governance and the voice of the people”. Hon. Charumbira urged legislative leaders to adopt proactive parliamentary diplomacy, ensure accountability, and take decisive action to tackle youth unemployment, advance the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and responsibly embrace technological innovations, including artificial intelligence. He stressed that harmonized laws and strong legislative frameworks are essential to enable trade, foster inclusive growth, and strengthen Africa’s influence globally.
Following this, Hon. Louis Gbehounou Vlavonou, Speaker of the Parliament of Benin, reflected on Africa’s historical struggles, including the legacy of slavery and colonialism. He emphasized that democracy must serve tangible development and the fulfillment of citizens’ needs, not remain symbolic. Hon. Vlavonou highlighted Benin’s successful governance practices and regional integration initiatives, showing how free movement of people and goods, coupled with adherence to human rights, can support continental development. He underscored the shared responsibility of Africans in addressing historical injustices and called for reparations, while reaffirming Benin’s commitment to Agenda 2063 and encouraging fellow parliaments to translate legislative action into meaningful progress for citizens.
Hon. Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane, Host Speaker of the South African Parliament, built on this call for actionable governance by stressing the importance of citizen-driven integration, sustainable development, and peace. She highlighted the responsibility of parliaments to protect vulnerable populations while shaping Africa’s continental transformation agenda. Hon. Mtsweni-Tsipane noted the need for collaboration among African legislative institutions to prepare for international forums, including the P20 and G20 Summits, ensuring Africa’s perspectives on climate change, economic inequality, and youth unemployment are central to global discussions.
Echoing the importance of legislative engagement in Africa’s global role, Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, MR. Alvin Botes, welcomed delegates on behalf of the South African government. He highlighted the historic significance of Africa hosting the G20 Summit and African Diaspora Week and urged parliaments to act as custodians of African unity, peace, and economic sovereignty. Mr Botes emphasized Africa’s wealth of critical minerals as a strategic opportunity for industrialization, calling on legislative oversight to ensure these resources are leveraged for inclusive growth, industrial integration, and empowerment of women and youth.
The theme of economic integration was reinforced by African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretary-General H.E. Wamkele Mene, who detailed Africa’s progress in intra-continental trade, noting the surge in AfCFTA certificates of origin from 13 in 2022 to 8,561 by June 2025, and intra-African trade reaching $220.3 billion in 2024. Mene highlighted initiatives in agro-processing, textiles, automotive, and pharmaceuticals, emphasizing the importance of inclusive industrialization that benefits women, youth, and SMEs. He called on parliaments to ratify and domesticate AfCFTA protocols, provide legislative oversight, and allocate resources to remove barriers and strengthen regional value chains, ensuring the AfCFTA becomes a tangible tool for prosperity.
Building on the discussion of continental integration, Mr. Olatunji Francis Orlando from the Office of the Legal Counsel of the African Union Commission presented on the domestication and oversight of AU treaties and the role of parliaments in accelerating integration. Mr. Orlando highlighted the 65 AU treaties adopted since 1963, covering governance, human rights, peace and security, trade, and investment. He emphasized the need for member states to move beyond signing and ratification toward domestication and full implementation, outlining challenges such as limited political will, technical and legislative obstacles, and coordination gaps between the executive and parliaments. He stressed that parliamentary oversight, advocacy, and legislative engagement are critical to ensure treaties are effectively implemented, benefiting citizens and advancing Agenda 2063 objectives.
The conference provided a platform for legislative leaders to align on collective strategies for AfCFTA implementation, enhance parliamentary diplomacy, accelerate treaty ratification and domestication, and strengthen cooperation across African parliaments, ensuring legislative institutions remain central in shaping Africa’s sustainable, prosperous, and globally influential future.
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