PAP’s 2023 Budget to be reconsidered

The Executive Council of the African Union has directed a reconsideration of the 2023 budget of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) to enable the Parliament to meet its institutional and operational needs and to effectively fulfill its mandate.

This was one of the decisions taken at the 42nd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council, 15-16 February 2023, Addis Ababa Ethiopia EX.CL/Dec.1198(XLII).

The directive followed the consideration of the Activity Report of the Pan-African Parliament, including the Resolutions and Recommendations adopted during its October 2022 Ordinary Session.

PAP was commended for the resumption of work following the June 2022 elections of the Bureau and also appreciated for the activities implemented by the Parliament within a short time period in 2022, in spite of limited budgetary resources, especially the proposed Model Law on Food and Nutrition Security, in furtherance of the African Union theme of the Year 2022.

The Executive Council also congratulated the PAP and the PRC for holding a successful joint Retreat, in Johannesburg on 19 - 20 December 2022, in line with Executive Council Decisions EX.CL/Dec.1174(XLI) and EX.CL/Dec.1028(XXXII).

It would be recalled that Executive Council had directed the PRC to hold a Retreat with the PAP, “to address all the concerns and challenges that affect the delivery and operations of the Organ.”

The identified challenges included lack of adequate resources to enhance PAP’s performance. This implies that PAP can’t be as effective as it should with the current budgetary allocations to the institution. This was echoed during a presentation by the Chairperson of PAP’s Committee on Monetary and Financial Matters, Hon. Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka who highlighted funding challenges in some of the PAP budget categories. He regretted that PAP’s budget had gone down from being 12% of the total AU Budget in 2016 to less than 2% of the total AU Budget in 2023, a situation that raises a great deal of concern.  He disclosed that PAP’s budget for 2023 did not make provision for many issues. For example, PAP’s Sessions would be shortened, and Committees, considered the engine rooms, will be unable to meet or conduct any business.