One
of the key objectives of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) is to promote peace,
security and stability on the continent. In doing so, the Continental
Parliament is tasked with facilitating the effective implementation of the
policies and objectives of the African Union (AU) throughout the continent.
During
the ongoing official visit to the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, the
high-level PAP delegation led by H.E.
Chief Fortune Z. Charumbira visited AU mechanisms established to address
issues of security and peace. The delegation sought to understand the missions,
assess the effectiveness of the work and explore synergies with AU
Algiers-based entities.
Firstly,
the PAP delegation visited the African Union Mechanism for Police Cooperation
(AFRIPOL). It’s an independent mechanism and a key stakeholder in the area of
international police cooperation and in the fight against transnational
organized crime.
African
Parliamentarians present in Algiers, in line with their oversight role, probed
the Management of the Mechanism on the progress made and concrete steps taken
to establish a framework for police cooperation at the strategic, operational
and tactical levels between African Union Members State police institutions.
The
second AU institution visited by the PAP delegation was the African Centre for
the Study & Research on Terrorism (ACSRT). The purpose of the Centre is for
it to function as a research centre of excellence in matters concerning the
prevention and combating of terrorism in Africa.
The
PAP delegation affirmed that ACSRT must fully play its role given the expanding
threat of terrorism and violent extremism across the continent, including the
influx of foreign terrorist fighters, private military companies and
mercenaries, the proliferation of armed groups, as well as transnational
organized crime, continue to negatively impact the peace, security, sovereignty
and territorial integrity of African states. A working mechanism between ACSRT
and the PAP Committee on Cooperation, International Relations and Conflict
Resolution was envisaged as an invitation was extended to the Centre to engage
with the said Committee in March.
Finally,
the PAP delegation met with Mr Brahim
Merad, Algeria's Minister of Interior, Local Authorities and National
Planning. The President of the PAP expressed gratitude to the Algerian
Government, through the Minister, for the facilities accorded to AU
institutions based in the country. The PAP leadership also appealed for support
from the Ministry to enable knowledge-sharing opportunities for relevant
Committees in the area of terrorism, extremism and peace and security.
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