Reaffirming the Pan-African Parliament’s commitment to people-centred governance, inclusive participation, and the protection of fundamental rights, the President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), H.E. Chief Fortune Zephania Charumbira, underscored the importance of strong institutional partnerships in delivering tangible outcomes for African citizens. He emphasized that effective continental governance requires synergy among African Union organs, civil society, and leadership institutions to ensure that the voices of Africa’s people—particularly children and vulnerable groups—remain central to the African Union’s decision-making processes.
It is against this backdrop that the Pan-African Parliament, on the margins of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with key continental and civil society partners, marking a significant step in reinforcing collaborative approaches to governance, human rights, and citizen participation.
PAP and ACERWC Deepen Cooperation on Children’s Rights
The Pan-African Parliament and the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at advancing the promotion and protection of the rights and welfare of children across Africa.
The MoU was signed by the President of the Pan-African Parliament, H.E. Chief Fortune Charumbira, and the Chairperson of the ACERWC, Hon. Sabrina Gahar, on behalf of their respective institutions.
The agreement establishes a framework for enhanced cooperation between the two African Union organs in areas including advocacy, policy dialogue, legislative support, and the promotion of child-sensitive governance in line with continental legal and policy instruments. Both institutions are vested with human rights promotion and protection mandates under the Constitutive Act of the African Union, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, and the Protocol to the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community relating to the Pan-African Parliament, among other relevant AU instruments.
The signing of the MoU underscores the shared resolve of PAP and the ACERWC to reinforce Africa’s normative frameworks on children’s rights and to ensure that the protection, welfare, and voices of children remain integral to Africa’s governance and development agenda.
PAP and ECOSOCC Commit to Amplifying African Voices
In a parallel development, the Pan-African Parliament and the Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) of the African Union signed an MoU to deepen institutional cooperation and enhance the representation of African citizens’ voices within AU processes.
The MoU was signed at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa by H.E. Chief Fortune Zephania Charumbira, President of the Pan-African Parliament, and Mr. Louis Cheick Sissoko, Presiding Officer of ECOSOCC.
Both institutions play complementary roles within the African Union architecture. While PAP serves as the quasi-legislative organ representing African citizens through their elected parliamentarians, ECOSOCC provides a formal platform for civil society organisations from Africa and the Diaspora to contribute to AU policy formulation and implementation.
The agreement provides a framework for collaboration in areas of mutual interest, including human rights, democracy, good governance, joint advocacy, policy dialogue, and coordinated engagement within the African Governance Architecture (AGA). It also envisages joint initiatives aimed at amplifying citizen participation, harmonising advocacy efforts, and ensuring that African voices meaningfully influence continental decision-making.
The MoU reaffirms the shared commitment of PAP and ECOSOCC to advancing inclusive governance and strengthening citizen ownership of the African Union’s agenda.
PAP and African Leadership Foundation Partner for Democratic Governance
Further expanding its partnership portfolio, the Pan-African Parliament signed an MoU with the African Leadership Foundation (ALF) to enhance cooperation in the promotion of good governance, human rights, and citizen participation across the continent.
The MoU was signed by H.E. Chief Fortune Zephania Charumbira and Dr. Olumide Ajayi, Executive Director of the African Leadership Foundation.
Under the agreement, the two institutions will collaborate in areas including capacity-building for parliamentarians and staff, joint research and policy development, parliamentary diplomacy, advocacy, and the promotion of the ratification and domestication of African Union legal instruments. The partnership also envisages joint conferences, workshops, and multi-stakeholder engagements aimed at amplifying citizens’ voices in continental governance.
The African Leadership Foundation is a civil society, not-for-profit organisation established to strengthen the capacity and competence of African leaders to confront development challenges.
A Shared Vision for Inclusive African Governance
Collectively, the three MoUs reflect the Pan-African Parliament’s strategic approach to building partnerships that reinforce inclusive, participatory, and accountable governance. They also demonstrate a shared commitment among African Union organs and civil society partners to work collaboratively in advancing human rights, empowering citizens, and ensuring that Africa’s governance systems remain responsive to the needs and aspirations of its people.
