The African Parliamentary Press Network (APPN) has commended the
intervention of the Executive Council
of the African Union (AU), the
Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Moussa
Faki Mahamat and the other policy organs of the AU in working assiduously and
harmoniously to ensure that the misunderstanding that led to
disruption of proceedings at the Fourth Ordinary Session of the Fifth
Parliament of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) were resolved in line with the
established African Union
values, rules, and regulations.
This was contained in a statement
jointly signed by the Chairperson of the APPN
Steering Committee, Hon. Olu Ibekwe and
APPN Program Coordinator, Hon. Gilbert Borketey Boyefio
The statement recalled that the May
election Session of PAP ended in chaos and/ or disorder, due to disagreement
among some regions on the application of the principle of rotation in the
election of the Parliament’s president and commends the AUC Chairperson H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat for setting up the fact-finding
delegation that visited the PAP Secretariat. The team submitted a progress
report with far-reaching recommendations formed the basis for the decisions and
recommendations of the AU policy
organs.
It added that “The various
interventions culminated in the decision of 39th Ordinary Session of the African Union Executive Council in
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia that only regions that have not had the opportunityto
lead the Parliament would be eligible to present candidates at the resumed
bureau election to be conducted and managed by the Office of Legal Counsel”
The APPN called on the parliamentarians to bury their individual
differences and ambitions and work for the interest of the continent.
“APPN urges the Parliamentarians to accept
the resolution of the issue in good faith and henceforth focus on issues that promote
a united Africa instead of dwelling on issues that tended to divide us. These include the
manufacturing of COVID-19 Vaccines and related drugs in Africa, challenges of
youth unemployment, under-development, poverty, insecurity, and promoting
participatory democracy”.
“The APPN takes this opportunity to
call on all member states that are yet to ratify the Malabo Protocol to do so
to give the Pan-African Parliament the needed legislative powers”.
“The APPN assures the Executive Council of the African Union
(AU), and the PAP of its
unflinching support and collaboration in providing publicity and education for
all African citizens on the Continent on the activities of PAP to make it very relevant to them”.
About APPN: The African Parliamentary Press Network is a
Network of African journalists and information officers reporting from
regional, sub-regional and national Parliaments in Africa. APPN promotes parliamentary openness and cordial working
relationship between Parliaments and the media and believes that a well
mobilized and resourced press corps or galleries in all African parliaments
will set the stage for the work of African Parliaments, including the Pan-African Parliament, to be made visible to the people of Africa.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Disclaimer: Comment expressed do not reflect the opinion of African Parliamentary News