PAP President Charumbira stresses the need for engagement on the issues facing Africans

The President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), H. E. Hon. Chief Fortune Charumbira has stressed the need for Pan-African Parliamentarians to remain engaged and committed as the continent grapples with a myriad of challenges.

H. E. Hon. Charumbira made the call on Thursday during a meeting with the Senior Management staff of PAP, convened to review the affairs of the Parliament, and set out a road-map for the remainder of the year.

He stated that expectations from the African citizenry on the Pan-African Parliament are growing and cited youth unemployment, food insecurity, climate change, and unconstitutional change of governments as some of the challenges requiring the intervention of the legislative arm of the African Union.

“These challenges put the Pan-African Parliament to the test. The institution was established to ensure that it served as a platform for African peoples and their grass-roots organizations to be more involved in discussions and decision-making on the problems and challenges facing the continent. Now more than ever, Parliamentarians need to be on the ground to assess the impact of these various challenges on our citizens, relay their concerns and formulate concrete solutions. The Pan-African Parliament cannot afford to be absent,” says Hon. Chief Charumbira.

He regretted that lack of adequate financial resources has impeded the Parliament’s ability to effectively discharge its mandate and then urged all Parliamentarians to remain alert and engaged.