The
Pan-African Parliament (PAP) and the Permanent Representatives’ Committee (PRC)
have concluded a successful two-day Joint Retreat, with both parties pledging
to work towards a framework for effective institutional collaboration.
Members
of the PAP and the PRC have agreed to explore ways to harmonize working methods
and define areas of synergies between the two organs.
These
synergies seek to enable the PAP to effectively promote and oversee the implementation
of Agenda 2063 and its flagship projects at the continental and national
levels.
Discussions
during the two-day Retreat further revolved around the PAP’s collaboration with
all AU stakeholders, including the relevant Special Technical Committees and
other organs such as AUDA-NEPAD and APRM.
The
Joint Retreat resulted in several key recommendations, which will be fine-tuned
in January 2023 before the conclusions of this critical consultation are
presented to the Ordinary Session of the Executive Council in February 2023.
The
proposed recommendations covered various aspects including financial and
administrative support to the PAP and the legal status of Members of
Parliament. The Retreat also extensively engaged in the core business,
institutional legal framework and deliverables of the PAP with a view to
ensuring increased participation of African citizens and civil society, as well
as the African diaspora in the affairs of the Union.
Additionally,
the meeting envisaged stronger ties with the PRC to enable the Continental
Parliament to be more visible and proactive in promoting ratification,
domestication and implementation of AU treaties.
Furthermore,
Parliamentarians and African Ambassadors to the AU gathered in Johannesburg
tackled the issue of African Union Election Observation Missions (AUEOM).
The
engagements focused on the status accorded to African Parliamentarians in these
missions, in line with the mandate of the continental Parliament to promote
democracy and good governance.
In
line with an Executive Council decision taken in February 2010, the PAP and the
African Union Commission, through the Department of Political Affairs, Peace
and Security, participate in joint AUEOM. The decision provides for the PAP to
contribute 40% of observers, as well as cooperation between staff from both
organs in the organization of the missions.
Source:
Media and Communication Unit, Pan-African Parliament
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