Clerks and Secretaries-General Chart New Path at 6th ASGAP Annual Conference

The precincts of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) in Midrand played host to the 6th Annual Conference of the Association of Secretaries-General of African Parliaments (ASGAP), a gathering that underscored the pivotal role of parliamentary administrators in advancing Africa’s legislative and governance agenda.

Jointly presided by Mr. Najib El Khadi, Vice Chairperson of ASGAP, and Ms. Lindiwe Khumalo, Clerk of the Pan-African Parliament, the conference opened with strong calls for deeper inter-parliamentary cooperation to ensure the effective implementation of African Union treaties and continental priorities.

“This gathering is a testament to the vital role clerks and secretaries-general play as custodians of parliamentary integrity and institutional memory... We are the unseen architects of legislative effectiveness. The effectiveness of our Union does not end with the adoption of treaties and decisions in Addis Ababa. It is in our national and regional parliaments… that these commitments must be ratified, domesticated, and implemented,” said Ms. Khumalo.

Mr. El Khadi, in turn, invited delegates to “engage in a deeper debate around the objectives of the association and the broader role of parliamentary institutions in Africa’s development.”

A Multi-Faceted Agenda

The conference, themed “Strengthening Parliamentary Cooperation for Effective Implementation of AU Treaties and Continental Priorities,” featured sessions on:

• Review of progress from the 5th ASGAP Annual Meeting
• Election of a new Executive Committee
• Review of the ASGAP Constitution and Rules of Procedure
• Inter-parliamentary coordination for AU treaties and decisions
• Africa’s engagement in the upcoming G20 Parliamentary Forum in Cape Town

Clerks and Secretaries-General from across the continent attended physically, reflecting a renewed commitment to institutional solidarity and legislative diplomacy.

Progress and Challenges

A key highlight was the progress report delivered by Ms. Khumalo, which revisited commitments from the 5th ASGAP meeting:

• Legislative collaboration: Members reaffirmed the need for integrating Agenda 2063 into national laws and for ratifying the Malabo Protocol.
• Information sharing: Parliaments agreed on regular transmission of AU Summit documents but noted delays in developing a standardized reporting template.
• Capacity-building: The staff exchange program between national and continental parliaments is underway, with Kenya already deploying personnel to PAP.
• Media visibility: Each parliament was urged to designate media focal persons for coordinated outreach.
• Solidarity: Delegations committed to more structured, rotational participation in ASGAP activities.
• Institutionalisation: Delegates reiterated the need to register ASGAP formally within the African Union framework and to adopt a subscription-based funding model.

The conference also raised pressing concerns such as the slow ratification of the Malabo Protocol, the need for gender equity in migration policies, and the establishment of robust early-warning systems in conflict-prone regions like the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Role of the AU Legal Counsel

The Office of the Legal Counsel (OLC) of the African Union weighed in, highlighting persistent challenges in ratification processes caused by poor coordination between ministries and parliaments. The OLC pledged to:

• Develop a harmonised ratification roadmap tailored to member states.
• Circulate legal memoranda to parliamentary committees.
• Establish a verification portal for ratification status.
• Work with PAP to ensure accurate and transparent dissemination of ratification data.

Election of New Leadership

A defining moment of the conference was the election of a new ASGAP Bureau, which emphasized gender balance, regional representation, and strict adherence to rules of procedure.

Delegates approved a new team of Bureau members, tasked with steering ASGAP toward institutional consolidation, sustainable funding, and stronger ties with continental organs.

Looking Ahead

As ASGAP turns its attention to Africa’s role in global diplomacy, including participation in the G20 Parliamentary Forum in Cape Town, the conference reaffirmed its role as a crucial convening platform for Africa’s parliamentary administrators.

In her closing reflections, Ms. Khumalo urged national parliaments to host future consultative meetings within their precincts to “reinforce legislative ownership and visibility” and to deepen the culture of parliamentary diplomacy on the continent.

The communiqué concluded with a pledge to advance ratification of AU treaties, institutional reforms, and capacity-building, ensuring that clerks and secretaries-general continue to serve as the engine room of Africa’s legislative effectiveness.