AU Executive Council Endorses Pan-African Parliament Progress at 48th Session, Commends Oversight and Global Partnerships

By Olu Ibekwe

Addis Ababa, February 13, 2026. The 48th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union has formally endorsed the Activity Report of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), commending significant institutional progress under its current leadership.

Meeting on the margins of the AU Summit, Foreign Affairs Ministers praised the Parliament’s strengthened oversight role, alignment with its 2024–2028 Strategic Plan, and renewed administrative stability following the reinstatement of the Clerk of Parliament.

The Council specifically welcomed PAP’s participation in AU Election Observation Missions, its engagement on justice and reparations, and its expanding parliamentary diplomacy, including partnerships with global legislative bodies. The endorsement signals growing confidence in the Parliament’s evolving role within the AU governance architecture and its contribution to continental policy harmonization and peacebuilding efforts.

Strengthened Oversight and Justice Agenda

Ministers noted that PAP’s recent activities demonstrate closer alignment between parliamentary deliberations and continental priorities. Its involvement in Election Observation Missions and structured debates on justice and reparations were highlighted as evidence of a more assertive oversight function.

Analytically, this reflects a gradual consolidation of PAP’s supervisory role within the AU system. While not yet a fully legislative body, the Parliament is increasingly shaping governance norms through scrutiny, debate, and continental agenda-setting.

Elevating Africa’s Voice in Global Parliamentary Forums

The Executive Council commended PAP’s partnership with the National Assembly of South Africa in convening the P20 Conference of Speakers. The platform enabled African Parliaments to articulate common positions within the G20 ecosystem and contribute to global debates on development finance, climate action, and inclusive growth.

This engagement marks a strategic shift toward parliamentary multilateralism, positioning PAP not only as an AU organ but as a continental interlocutor within global governance processes.

Deepening Africa–Europe Parliamentary Cooperation

Ministers also welcomed PAP’s strengthened cooperation with the European Parliament, including a Parliament-to-Parliament meeting hosted in Midrand. The engagement produced a Joint Declaration addressing shared priorities, notably the restitution of African artefacts.

Beyond symbolism, the dialogue institutionalizes parliamentary channels in Africa–Europe relations, complementing executive diplomacy with representative engagement rooted in citizens’ perspectives.

Three New Continental Model Laws Adopted

A major legislative milestone cited by the Council was the adoption of three continental Model Laws:

• Model Law on Labour Migration in Africa
• Model Law on Gender Equality and Equity
• Model Law on Sustainable Soil Management in Africa

Member States were encouraged to use these instruments to strengthen national legal and policy frameworks.

The adoption of these Model Laws underscores PAP’s normative function. By advancing harmonized legal templates in labour mobility, gender justice, and environmental sustainability, the Parliament is contributing directly to continental legal convergence—an essential pillar of integration.

Institutionalized Engagement with the Peace and Security Council

The Council further welcomed the retreat between PAP and the Peace and Security Council (PSC) in Midrand, which established a formal consultative and advisory mechanism between the two organs.

This development is structurally significant. By creating an institutionalized channel for parliamentary input into early warning and peace processes, the AU strengthens coordination between deliberative and decision-making organs, reinforcing preventive diplomacy and conflict response mechanisms.

Consolidation and Forward Momentum

In endorsing the Activity Report, the Executive Council signaled confidence in PAP’s trajectory of institutional stabilization and strategic engagement.

The commendation does more than acknowledge completed activities: it affirms the Parliament’s expanding role within the AU architecture. As PAP advances its 2024–2028 Strategic Plan, the backing of Foreign Affairs Ministers strengthens its institutional standing and reinforces its contribution to continental governance, legislative harmonization, and Africa’s collective global voice.