PAP Clerk gives Notice of Extraordinary session for election

The Clerk of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), Ms. Lindiwe Khumalo  has issued notice pursuant to Rule 31 of the Pan-African Parliament Rules of Procedure, 2011, that an Extraordinary Session of the Sixth Parliament of the Pan-African Parliament will be held from the 20th to 27th March 2024 (inclusive of pre-Session activities) at its headquarters in Midrand, Republic of South Africa.

This is contained in a letter addressed to the Clerks of National Parliaments dated 7th March 2024 with reference PAP/LBC/EOS/2024. According to the letter, “the main purpose of the Extra Ordinary Session is the election of vacant positions in the Bureau of the Pan-African Parliament. The Election Day will be Monday, 25 March 2024, following notification from the Chairperson of the African Union Commission through the Office of the Legal Counsel. The vacancies that stand to be filled are the following:

1. President – Southern Africa

2. 1st Vice President – North Africa

3. 4th Vice President – Central Africa

“In line with the deliberations of the Executive Council of the 44th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council, held in Addis Ababa, from 14th to 15 February, 2024, concerning the situation at the Pan-African Parliament, as well as subsequent written directives from the African Union Commission on the 22nd of February 2024, the modalities and guidelines for this elections will be developed by the office of the AUC Legal Counsel and communicated to the PAP by the office of the AUC Chairperson in due course”.

It would be recalled that the Acting President of the PAP, The consultation sessions with regional caucuses of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), Hon. Lucia Dos Passos had held consultative sessions  with the five regional caucuses of the Parliament during which she urged the cooperation and mobilization of members of Africa's premier parliamentary body to ensure attendance and active participation in the elective session to fill the vacancies in the Bureau.

Hon. Lucia Passos emphasized that it is the responsibility of every parliamentarian to contribute to restoring the institution's image following recent challenges and stressed the importance of a peaceful election process, which will symbolize the full resumption of parliamentary activities. The leadership of the respective regional caucuses and their members in return, expressed readiness and enthusiasm to resume parliamentary proceedings and serve the interests of African citizens.