THE PAN AFRICAN PARLIAMENT: THE JOURNEY SO FAR

Hon. Roger Nkodo Dang, PAP President, 2015 to present

 The establishment of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) in 2004 was informed by the vision to provide a common platform for the African peoples and the grass-roots organizations to be more involved in discussions and decision-making on the problems and challenges facing the continent.

Its main focus is to ensure the upliftment of the African people from poverty through the harmonization of African Union policies that promote good governance, economic growth, free movement of people, goods and services. The Parliament has also focused on issues affecting the youth, women and persons with disability.

Hon Gertrude Mongella, PAP President 2004 - 2008

In its almost 14 years of existence, it has gone through four parliaments with four presidents namely Hon. Gertrude Mongella of Tanzania (2004 to 2008); late Dr. Idris Ndele Moussa of Chad (2009 to 2012); Hon. Bethel Nnaemeka  Amadi of Nigeria (2012 to 2015) and Hon. Roger Nkodo Dang of Cameroon (2015 to present). And in spite of what critics would want us to believe, the Parliament has really transformed from a little known institution in 2004 to one with visibility in the continent with some remarkable achievements.

Oversight Missions to Conflict areas. PAP has over the years, carried out fact-finding missions to troubled spots in the continent to ascertain and investigate the prevailing conditions and as a result, made necessary recommendations to the executive organs of the African Union (AU) with a view to promoting peace and the observance of human rights of the citizens and encourage good governance in the continent. Specifically, PAP has undertaken oversight missions to such countries as Mali, Sudan, South Sudan, Zimbabwe, Chad and Western Sahara.

Late Hon. Dr. Idriss Moussa, PAP President 2009 - 2012

Promotion of good governance through election observation missions. PAP has participated in election observation missions in member countries to ensure free and fair elections. This is consistent with its mission to provide a common platform for African people to be involved in decision making especially as to who governs them.

Advocacy on the ratification and domestication of AU instruments. PAP has deployed its mandate to provide advocacy for the ratification of some critical AU legal instruments especially:

v African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (2003).

v African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (2007).

v Protocol to the Constitutive Act of the African Union relating to the Pan African Parliament (2014).

v Protocol on Amendments to the Protocol on the Statute of the African Court of Justice and Human Rights (2010).

v Agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area

v Protocol to the Treaty establishing the African Economic Community relating to Free Movement of  Persons, Right of Residence and Right of Establishment.

v Protocol to the Charter on Human and Peoples’ Right on the Right of Persons with Disability.

Harmonization of the policies on drugs. The Parliament is involved in the advocacy for the adoption of the model law on harmonization of medical products in Africa.

Advocacy for Women Empowerment through the monitoring of MDG/ SDG on maternal health and child mortality in member countries.

Lifting of United States Sanctions on Sudan. At the request of the Government of Sudan, the Parliament embarked on an advocacy mission to the United States for the lifting of 20 year old sanctions on the country. It is commendable that as representatives of African people, PAP was able to successfully call for an end to the suffering of the Sudanese people. The credit goes to the Hon. Roger Nkodo Dang led Bureau of the Fourth Parliament.

Hon. Bethel Amadi, PAP President 2012 - 2015

Transformation of the Pan African Parliament. The process of reviewing the protocol establishing the Pan African Parliament in order to endow it with legislative mandate which began in 2009, remained a top priority to the agenda of the Parliament. Arguably, the successful adoption of that revised protocol by the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government during the AU Summit in June 2014 at Malabu, Equatorial Guinea remains one of the greatest achievements of the Hon. Bethel Nnaemeka Amadi led Third Parliament. When ratified, PAP will be empowered to develop the legal framework upon which Africa can begin the process of building strong democratic institutions that would deepen democracy, good governance, transparency and accountability which are the prerequisites for development, peace and stability.

In conclusion, PAP has over the years, been able to develop relations with African leaders who are routinely invited to grace the opening sessions of the Parliament, establish and promote interaction with national. regional and continental parliaments.