The Pan-African Parliament (PAP), also known as the African Parliament, is working around the clock to repair its image under its new leadership in the wake of last year’s events that dominated the news.
The session of May 2021 was canceled as a result of the PAP’s descent into anarchy, with some Members of Parliament (MPs) exchanging blows over the idea of regional rotation in the election of the Bureau.
To end the domination of regions, the southern and northern delegates urged the rotation of leadership in the other five African areas, stating that the post should be rotated.
“First and foremost, what was seen on television were regrettable incidents, and it’s important to underline that Parliament is fully operational again,” said Jeffrey Onganga, acting head of media and communications for the PAP.
Since the election of the new Bureau in June 2022, much has been done to improve the image of the Pan-African Parliament and African politicians in general.
Now, all attention is focused on the first Ordinary Session of the sixth Congress, which is off to a promising start.
The Session, which began on 24 October 2022, is being held at the Gallagher Convention Centre headquarters in Midrand, Gauteng.
Building resilience in nutrition on the African continent: Accelerate human capital, social and economic development.
Chief Fortune Charumbira, president of the PAP, is also expected to describe the Bureau’s aim to “revitalize, reposition, and revitalize” the African Parliament.
MPs will also discuss the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA), as well as suggestions and resolutions regarding labor migration in Africa.
In an interview with SAnews, Onganga refuted the concept that the PAP is a “costly talk shop.”
“We must not belittle the power that comes with the gathering of parliamentarians from across the continent. The meeting of a South African parliamentarian and an Equatorial Guinean parliamentarian is not without consequence, he emphasized.
“It is impossible for the African Union leadership to visit every country every day and speak with every people.”
For this reason, he feels that the PAP, whose Member States delegates attend the biannual meetings, remains the most effective means of communicating with the public.
The PAP has been criticized for lacking true authority. Only 14 of the 54 AU Member States have approved a 2014 agreement – known as the Malabo protocol – that grants legislative authority to the AU Parliament. Minimum of 28 countries are required for this to occur.
“One of this Parliament’s top priorities is for its members to ratify this protocol, as it offers this Parliament more authority and addresses more issues. It affords the public the opportunity to observe this Parliament in a position that enables it to perform its duties, as he emphasized.
In the meantime, the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) stated that compared to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, which is directly elected by the European people and possesses major authority, PAP only has consultative and administrative powers.
On the other hand, Onganga stated that the PAP’s president is optimistic that the African Parliament would reach its goal.
In addition, he stated that the Parliament was designed to provide a forum for all African states to participate in talks and decision-making regarding the continent’s problems.
“It is not the responsibility of the Parliament to build a bridge in Sierra Leone. “However, the role of Parliament is to ensure that if you promise to construct a bridge, that bridge is constructed,” he explains.
“It is also to ensure that, if the African Union decides to assist women entrepreneurs in the country, they carry out their decision.”
He stated that the AU has no problem making decisions, many of which have been made to improve the lives of citizens.
“Before we make any more decisions, we want to ensure that at least half of the decisions we’ve made have been implemented,” he told SAnews.
“Parliament wants to make this platform highly visible, so the Chairperson and all the Commissioners will be invited to explain that this Parliament conducts more fact-finding missions. You cannot hold an executive accountable if you are unaware of their actions in certain countries.”
According to Onganga, the PAP is currently exerting efforts to guarantee that the people on the ground are aware of their presence.
Therefore, the primary objective of this Parliament is to increase its presence in a number of these nations. Visibility is crucial.”
Meanwhile, the spokeswoman stated that food security is the AU’s top concern this year.
“In 2022, there are still people who do not have enough to eat and go to bed hungry.”
He argues that the AU’s Agenda 2063, a framework for equitable growth and sustainable development in Africa, cannot be realized if certain people do not have access to food.
“Of course, safety and security, you need a peaceful continent in order to implement any agenda you desire.”
In addition, he noted that Parliamentarians are concerned about unconstitutional changes of government in certain nations.
“The President feels that there is more than the Pan-African Parliament and that, notwithstanding our lack of legislative authority, the current consulting, oversight, and advisory functions are sufficient for the Parliament to address these concerns.”