AU Organs Showcase Continental Synergy in Health, Human Rights, and Governance at PAP Opening

African Medicines Agency (AMA) Presents Vision for a Health-Secure Continent

A major highlight of the opening day was the presentation by the African Medicines Agency (AMA), delivered virtually by its inaugural Director-General, Dr. Mimi Delese-Darko.

Dr. Darko introduced AMA as Africa’s first continental regulatory authority for medical products, headquartered in Kigali, Rwanda, established to ensure access to safe, effective, and quality-assured medicines for all Africans.

She emphasized that AMA’s mission builds upon the African Medicines Regulatory Harmonization Initiative (AMRH) and focuses on:

· Strengthening national and regional regulatory systems.

· Supporting local pharmaceutical manufacturing through technology transfer.

· Promoting clinical trials within African populations to ensure context-specific health solutions.

· Collaborating with Africa CDC, AfDB, WHO, the EU, and AfCFTA to harmonize standards.

Dr. Darko called on PAP Members to champion ratification of the AMA Treaty by all 55 Member States (31 have ratified so far) and to advocate for domestic financial contributions, underscoring that “AMA must remain an African-led and African-owned institution.”

African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) Reaffirms Human Rights Cooperation

The Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), Hon. Idrissa Sow, conveyed a message of solidarity to the Pan-African Parliament, applauding the legislature’s continued advocacy for democracy, peace, and good governance across the continent.

He highlighted the importance of strengthening institutional collaboration between the ACHPR and PAP to promote human rights compliance, monitor state obligations, and advance protection mechanisms under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Sow reaffirmed the Commission’s readiness to engage PAP in joint initiatives, particularly in addressing the persistent challenges of human rights violations, constitutional instability, and limited civic participation in governance.

African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Calls for Accountability and Youth Inclusion

The Chief Executive Officer of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), Amb. Marie-Antoinette Rose Cattrell, delivered an address on governance, reparations, and accountability in Africa.

She congratulated PAP for convening its session under the AU 2025 reparations theme and emphasized that reparative justice is not merely retrospective but transformative, a pathway toward dignity and sustainable development.

Drawing from APRM’s country review findings and the Africa Governance Report (2025), she revealed that:

· Africa retains only 10–15% of the value of its vast mineral resources.

· Poor governance and inequitable resource management perpetuate structural dependency.

Ambassador Cattrell announced the upcoming APRM Youth Symposium (10–11 November 2025) on “Youth in Governance: From Poverty to Prosperity” and upcoming review missions to São Tomé & Príncipe, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, and Egypt.

She urged African parliaments to mainstream youth and gender inclusion, accelerate peer-review processes, and reinforce transparency in governance.

“Governance must be inclusive, intergenerational, and innovation-driven. When Africa reviews itself honestly, it governs itself effectively,” Amb. Marie-Antoinette Rose Cattrell.

Continental Institutions in Concert

The combined interventions of AMA, ACHPR, and APRM on the opening day demonstrated the growing synergy among African Union organs and specialized agencies, all united by the goal of building a peaceful, healthy, just, and self-reliant Africa.

As the session continues, PAP is expected to deepen inter-agency collaboration and advance its legislative oversight role in health governance, human rights, and democratic accountability, reinforcing its identity as the voice of the African people within the AU system.