REVEALED: Why Executive Council decided on regional consultations before PAP election session

Facts have emerged on why the 40^th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU) decided that consultations with the other four regional caucuses in the Pan African Parliament (PAP) who were unable to meet with the AUC delegation that visited South Africa in September 2021 should take place before the session to elect members of the bureau of the parliament.

According to leaked working documents at the recently concluded AU Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the consultations are intended to explain to the PAP regional caucuses, the decisions of the Executive Council on the incident which led to the suspension of the election session on June 1, 2021 which is binding on PAP and to impress upon the parliamentarians, the need for decorum in their conduct so as not to portray the AU in bad light.

After the presentation of update on the situation in the PAP in line with the EXCL Decision 1128 (XXXIX) - EX.CL/1318(XL) to the 43rd Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) by Deputy Chief of Staff, Cabinet of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), concerns were expressed on the lack of progress in the implementation of the Council decision and its components.

The PRC members also underscored the importance of adhering to the Executive Council decision of prioritizing the holding of PAP elections, rather than focusing on consultations with relevant caucuses and underlined the need to revise the timeline for the preparation and organization of the PAP elections to be held as early as February 2022, contrary to the dates stipulated in the update provided by the AUC.

These concerns by the PRC members necessitated clarification by the Deputy Chief of Staff, Cabinet of the Chairperson of the Commission who admitted that Executive Decision 1128 is robust in the sense that it contains clear instructions which are still to be implemented.

The AUC then pleaded that consultations with caucuses are highly political and vital for the successful holding of elections. It was on this basis that the Executive Council decided that consultations with the regional caucuses should take place before the bureau elections.

It was however made clear by the Executive Council that the issue of rotation of the presidency of the parliament as well as venue for the election session (South Africa) are settled issues for which no questions or debates should be entertained during the consultations.

The consultations will now take place on February 23 (for Central and Eastern Caucuses) and February 24 (for Northern and Western Caucuses) at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.