Pan-African Parliament Moves to Restore Pre-2019 Budget as Monetary Committee Meets in Midrand

Midrand, 25 February 2026: The Permanent Committee on Monetary and Financial Affairs of the Pan-African Parliament has convened in Midrand, South Africa, to review and allocate the Parliament’s 2026 programme budget, following directives from the African Union Executive Council aimed at restoring the institution’s funding to pre-2019 levels.

Meeting from 24 to 27 February 2026 at the seat of the Pan-African Parliament, Committee Members are examining budget execution for 2025, allocating resources for 2026, and aligning forward planning for 2027 with the broader African Union reform agenda. The sitting takes place shortly after the 39th AU Summit in Addis Ababa, where Member States emphasized fiscal discipline, improved reporting standards, and strengthened collaboration between PAP and the African Union Commission.

2026 Budget Allocation and 2027 Financial Planning

Committee Members are deliberating on the allocation of the Pan-African Parliament’s 2026 programme budget, reviewing 2025 budget execution performance, and examining both the Operations and Programme Budgets for 2027.

The Committee is also assessing the African Union 2027 Budget Framework to ensure institutional coherence and sustainability. Key agenda items include:

·              Review of PAP’s 2025 financial statements

·              Strategic resource mobilization initiatives

·              Alignment of programme expenditure with continental integration priorities

·              Strengthening fiscal discipline and financial oversight

The sitting is chaired by Hon. Thérèse Faye, Chairperson of the Committee on Monetary and Financial Affairs, who underscored the importance of ensuring that financial allocations directly support the Parliament’s legislative, advisory, and oversight mandate under the AU framework.

Executive Council Directives Shape Deliberations

At the opening of the session, Ms. Lindiwe Khumalo, Clerk of the Pan-African Parliament, highlighted key directives emerging from the Executive Council meeting held during the 39^th AU Summit at the African Union Headquarters.

Among the most significant directives is the call on the African Union Commission and the relevant Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) Sub-Committees to regularize the Pan-African Parliament’s budget and restore funding to levels available prior to 2019. The decision is widely seen as a corrective measure aimed at stabilizing the Parliament’s operational capacity following years of budgetary constraints.

The Executive Council further requested strengthened collaboration between the Pan-African Parliament and the African Union Commission to improve utilization of the SAP and AMERT financial management systems, enhance reporting standards, and reinforce the operational efficiency of the Parliament’s Secretariat.

To operationalize these directives, a technical team from the African Union Commission is participating in the Midrand sitting, working alongside Committee Members to ensure alignment and effective implementation.

Restoring Institutional Financial Stability

The current deliberations take place against the broader backdrop of continental institutional reform and financial self-reliance efforts discussed during the recent AU Summit in Addis Ababa.

By reviewing past execution trends and future budget frameworks simultaneously, the Committee aims to:

·       Enhance transparency in financial management

·       Improve accountability mechanisms

·       Strengthen oversight of programme implementation

·       Ensure sustainable funding aligned with Agenda 2063 priorities

The outcomes of the Midrand meeting, including formal resolutions and recommendations, are expected to shape the Parliament’s financial planning cycle and oversight processes in the coming years.

Analytical Implications

The Midrand sitting reflects more than routine financial planning; it signals a recalibration of the Pan-African Parliament’s institutional position within the African Union architecture. The Executive Council’s call to regularize and restore PAP’s budget to pre-2019 levels carries significant governance implications, particularly in strengthening the Parliament’s operational predictability and oversight capacity.

Restored and stabilized funding would enhance programme delivery, reinforce the Secretariat’s technical functions, and improve compliance with AU-wide financial management systems such as SAP and AMERT. It also reflects a broader continental push toward fiscal discipline, accountability, and institutional coherence under Agenda 2063.

If fully implemented, the financial alignment under review in Midrand could mark a decisive step toward reinforcing the Parliament’s credibility, autonomy, and effectiveness within the evolving AU reform framework.

As the Pan-African Parliament continues to assert its legislative and consultative role within the African Union architecture, the decisions emerging from this session will be central to reinforcing institutional credibility, operational efficiency, and fiscal sustainability across the continental body.