PAP President Meets AU Chairperson President Lourenço in Luanda

The President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), H.E. Chief Fortune Zephania Charumbira, was accorded a warm welcome by the President of the Republic of Angola and current Chairperson of the African Union (AU), H.E. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, at the Presidential Palace in Luanda.

The high-level courtesy call formed part of Chief Charumbira’s official bilateral visit to the National Assembly of Angola from 13–16 August 2025, undertaken at the invitation of the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Carolina Cerqueira. The meeting underscored the importance of strengthening synergies between the AU’s continental legislature and the AU Chairperson’s office in advancing the Union’s governance, peace, and integration agenda.

During the engagement, Chief Charumbira briefed President Lourenço on the strategic priorities of the Pan-African Parliament, particularly its role in promoting legislative harmonization, parliamentary diplomacy, and continental economic integration under Agenda 2063. He also highlighted PAP’s ongoing advocacy for the operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the need for sustained AU support in addressing institutional challenges that affect PAP’s effectiveness within the AU governance architecture.

President Lourenço, in his dual capacity as Angola’s Head of State and AU Chairperson, reaffirmed his commitment to deepening the role of parliaments in shaping Africa’s development trajectory. He commended PAP’s efforts to bring national legislatures into continental decision-making processes and expressed Angola’s readiness to work closely with PAP in promoting peace, stability, and sustainable economic growth.

The meeting came against the backdrop of PAP’s call for national parliaments to take a more active role in conflict resolution and to complement Executive-led initiatives through parliamentary diplomacy. Chief Charumbira’s discussions with the AU Chairperson were therefore a strategic step toward securing higher-level political support for PAP’s interventions in peace-building, trade facilitation, and legislative harmonization.

The courtesy call was a highlight of a packed visit that included bilateral discussions with the Angolan National Assembly leadership, a symbolic tree planting at the Assembly grounds, and engagements with parliamentary committees. The visit concluded on 16 August with both sides reaffirming their shared vision for a more united, peaceful, and economically empowered Africa.