CHARUMBIRA calls on Speakers of Parliaments to encourage ratification of the Revised PAP Protocol

The Fourth Vice President of the Pan African Parliament (PAP), Hon. Chief Fortune Charumbira has encouraged the Speakers of Parliaments from SADC Member States to commit to the ratification of the Pan African Parliament’s Revised Protocol, also known as the MALABO Protocol. The call was made on the side-lines of the 45th SADC Parliamentary Forum Plenary Session in Maputo Mocambique.

According to a Press Release by PAP’s Senior Media and Communications Officer, Ntsiuoa SEKETE, Hon. Chief Fortune CHARUMBIRA made the call while addressing the Speakers of Parliaments  of SADC countries on the slow pace of ratification of this important instrument, particularly in the Southern African Region, reminding member-states that the PAP is hosted in the region.

"We therefore cannot be the last to legitimize this institution. We all need to follow in the footsteps of Madagascar that has fully ratified and deposited their instrument of ratification at the African Union Commission," Hon. Charumbira emphasized.

To date, South Africa and Zimbabwe remain the only two countries in the southern region that have taken the first step of signing and would still need to ratify. 16 more ratifications are still required for the Protocol to enter into force. It has taken at about 5 years to garner 12 ratifications.

The PAP originated with the Abuja Treaty (1991) which called for establishment of a parliament to ensure Africans are fully involved in the economic development and integration of the continent. The Sirte Declaration (1999) repeated the call. The Protocol relating to the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community Relating to the Pan-African Parliament was adopted on 2 March 2001 at the OAU Summit in Sirte, Libya; and entered into force on 14 December 2003.

The Parliament’s first session was held in March 2004. The Malabo Protocol was adopted at the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government meeting in 2014 and is intended to extend the powers of the PAP into a fully-fledged legislative organ.