Pan Africa Parliament Convenes to Discuss Continent’s Challenges

By George Okore

JOHANNESBURG---The Fourth Ordinary Session of the Second Pan-African Parliament (PAP) began this week in Midrand, Johannesburg ,South Africa to discuss and exchange views on issues pertinent to the African continent.

PAP President Hon. Dr. Moussa Idriss Ndélé officially opened the Session which runs to May 20. He also swore-in nine new members to the PAP from Kenya, Djibouti, Tanzania, Botswana and Namibia. The African parliament congratulated the new Heads of State in Africa and praised the people of Sudan for overseeing a peaceful referendum.

The special guests of this session included the Speaker of the National Assembly of Mauritania Messoud Ould Boulkheir, First Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Angola Joao Manuel Goncalves Lourenco and the Speaker of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL), Mrs. Lindiwe Maseko.

In their messages of solidarity Mrs Maseko explained that the PAP, as a continental body, needs to work closely with other national parliaments in order to ensure its success. The GPL, considering its similar values and goals, had a lot to share with PAP, she added. . Lourenco, upon revisiting Angola’s history with the formation of PAP, reiterated the role of the PAP especially in conflict resolution.

He insisted that Africa needed to solve its many problems without the interference of foreign forces. PAP therefore, as he explained, is the voice of Africa, one that all Africans depended on. H.E. Ould Boulkheir added to this by requesting that the PAP give more content to this collective African voice in order to adapt more quickly to its new role.

The 235 Member Pan-African Parliament (PAP) is the legislative body of the African Union formed in 2004 and is currently headquartered in Midrand, South Africa. In October 2009, the Second Parliament of the Pan-African Parliament opened its First Ordinary Session and began a new 3-year mandate. PAP Members are nominated by the legislatures of the 47 out of the 53 Member States of the African Union, who have so far ratified the PAP Protocol.

 The current President of the Parliament is Hon. Dr. Moussa Idriss Ndélé from Chad (Central Africa), who is supported by four Vice-Presidents representing the other four regions of the continent.. These are Hon. Bethel Amadi from Nigeria (West Africa), Hon. Mary Mugyenyi from Uganda (East Africa), Hon. Laroussi Hammi from Algeria (North Africa) and Hon. Joram Macdonald Gumbo from Zimbabwe (Southern Africa).