PAP Southern Regional Caucus issues media statement (Advertorial) - AFRICAN PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

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Tuesday, September 21, 2021

PAP Southern Regional Caucus issues media statement (Advertorial)

Hon. Yeremia Chihana

The Southern Regional Caucus met in Midrand from the 13 to 17 September 2021,to deliberate on the events of the previous session of May-June 2021,and to also prepare for the coming session in November 2021.

The caucus want to place it on record that the invitation letter written by the Parliament of Zimbabwe convening this meeting was the initiative of the Regional due to the vacant position of the Secretariat.

This meeting was convened in accordance to the Rules of the PAP, specifically Rule 83,84 and 85. It is therefore malicious for those who spread rumours about the objective of the meeting, as to stage coup in the PAP and hold it at ransom.

Out of the 10 countries in the region, 8 were present in the meeting. Only 2, namely Lesotho and Angola, were absent.

The PAP seat is located in South Africa and therefore it is incumbent upon the Southern Africa region to ensure that we do not have the May-June situation happening again.

Our people have high hopes for the PAP as a continental Parliament to serve as a beacon of democracy in Africa.

That Parliament is a very important institution to exercise checks and balances in the Executive and provide a voice for the voiceless.

That Parliament plays an important role in setting the tone for the public discourse on the Continent.

It is this task that propelled us as the Regional Leadership to come together so as to ensure that we do what our people expect from us.

The region among other things seeks to ensure that it brings to end the terrorism that is taking place in Mozambique, Cabo Delgado Province.

Pledged its solidarity with the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo, following the eruption of the deadly Volcano, Nyiragongo in the Northern City of Goma in the North Kivv Province.

The Region also seeks to use the November session to call for the waiver of specific trade related aspects of Intellectual Property rights relating to the manufacturing of COVID-19 Vaccines and related drugs.

It is therefore malicious that the region is meeting because it is planning a takeover of the PAP.

The meeting further resolved that the November session will be held in Midrand, South Africa as normal.

That the issue of rotation of the Presidency of the PAP cannot be viewed outside the establishment of the AU.

The Constitutive Act in Article 6 as amended by the Protocol on Amendments to the constitutive Act of the African Union, adopted by the Extra-ordinary session in Maputo on the 11th July 2003 clearly provides that the Chairpersonship of the Assembly shall be held by the Head of State elected at the beginning of each Ordinary session on the basis of rotation for a renewable period of one year.

As a result of the above, the Assembly has practiced the principle of rotation consistently.

The refusal to implement the principle of rotation is adirect contradiction with the AU.

The region confirmed their unwavering support to their Regional candidate Chief Charumbira and that it will work with all delegates to ensure that the elections run smoothly.

The region has also resolved that to guarantee the Smooth running of the November session, it will embark on a process of consultative meetings with all the regions of the Pan African Parliament, the AU and SADC Executive and Parliaments.

Different task teams of MPs were assigned to engage with different organs of the AU and Parliaments of the continent.

The next PAP session must be preoccupied with challenges of unemployment, under-development,poverty and peace, and fight diseases.

PAP must develop a clear plan of oversight role on member States so as to defend the democratic gain s the continent is making.

The unity of Africa as a continent is sacrosanct and it cannot be sacrificed by anyone.

 

Hon. Yeremia Chihana

Chair Southern Regional Caucus

+265 9950 50471

 

Enquiries:  Prof. Mathole Motshekgo 0718688589


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