Pan-African Parliament Bureaux Approves Programme for the Sixth Ordinary Session of the Sixth Legislature

The Bureau of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), together with the Bureaux of the Permanent Committees and the Regional, Women’s, and Youth Caucuses, convened on Sunday at the Parliament’s headquarters in Midrand to deliberate and adopt the programme for the Sixth Ordinary Session of the Sixth Legislature.

The high-level meeting, chaired by H.E. Chief Fortune Charumbira, President of the Pan-African Parliament, reviewed all logistical arrangements and resource allocations for the session, assessed funding shortfalls, and developed strategies to enhance the Parliament’s influence and impact within the broader African Union (AU) governance framework.

“This session comes at a critical moment for the Pan-African Parliament as we continue to consolidate our oversight role and strengthen our legislative contribution to Africa’s integration agenda,” the President said during the meeting.

Session Dates and AU Theme of the Year

According to the PAP Rules of Procedure, the Parliament is required to hold at least two ordinary sessions each year. The upcoming session, scheduled from 1 to 14 November 2025, will be the second and final plenary of the year, conducted under the African Union’s 2025 Theme: “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations.”

This theme, which aligns with global discussions on restorative justice and historical accountability, will serve as a central focus throughout the deliberations. Members are expected to examine how the African Union and its institutions can advance the reparatory justice agenda through legislative and policy mechanisms.

Agenda Highlights

The Sixth Ordinary Session will feature an extensive agenda designed to review and accelerate the Parliament’s engagement with continental priorities.
Key highlights include:

• Reports from Permanent Committees on peace and security, governance, human rights, trade, agriculture, and digital transformation;
• Recommendations to the AU Summit of Heads of State and Government on harmonized continental policies and model laws;
• Presentations from AU Organs and African institutions, providing updates on integration, economic development, and human rights implementation;
• Special debates on democracy, constitutionalism, and the rising incidence of coups across Africa;
• Side events focused on youth empowerment, gender equality, and climate justice.

Preparatory Meetings and Consultations

In line with established parliamentary practice, preparatory meetings and caucus consultations have been organized before and after the formal opening on Monday, 3 November 2025. These include coordination sessions of the Permanent Committees, Regional Caucuses, and the Women’s and Youth Caucuses, as well as dialogues with civil society organizations and development partners.

These engagements are intended to ensure alignment between the plenary’s deliberations and ongoing AU initiatives such as Agenda 2063, the AfCFTA, and the African Human Rights Action Plan.

Reaffirming the Role of the Pan-African Parliament

As the legislative organ of the African Union, the Pan-African Parliament serves as the voice of African citizens and a platform for their elected representatives to shape the continent’s policy direction. Through its deliberative and oversight functions, PAP contributes to the formulation of unified continental positions on key challenges, from peace and governance to economic integration and digital transformation.

The Sixth Ordinary Session is expected to produce concrete recommendations to the AU policy organs, advancing PAP’s role as a catalyst for democratic governance and continental unity.