MIDRAND, South Africa —
30 July 2026: The Pan-African
Parliament concluded another substantive day of plenary deliberations on
Thursday with debates spanning Afrophobic and xenophobic violence, Africa’s
water and sanitation crisis, democratic governance, critical minerals and
continental food policy.
Meeting during the First
Ordinary Session of its Seventh Legislature, Members considered motions and
committee reports addressing some of the most immediate political, social,
environmental and economic challenges confronting the continent.
The proceedings
reflected the Parliament’s stated commitment to ensuring that its work produces
practical, people-centred recommendations capable of advancing African
integration, democratic accountability and the aspirations of Agenda 2063. The
Ordinary Session, which ran from 27 to 30 July 2026 at the Parliament’s
headquarters in Midrand, was convened as part of a wider programme that also
included Permanent Committee meetings and the Conference of Speakers of
National and Regional Parliaments.
Parliament Debates
Afrophobic and Xenophobic Violence in South Africa
A major focus of
Thursday’s proceedings was a plenary debate on two motions addressing reported
Afrophobic and xenophobic attacks against African nationals in the Republic of
South Africa.
The first motion on the
escalation of Afrophobic attacks against African compatriots was moved by Hon.
Lazare Yao Yao of Côte d’Ivoire and seconded by Hon. Massamba
Dieng of Senegal.
A second motion urging
the Republic of South Africa to strengthen measures to prevent and eliminate
xenophobic violence against African nationals residing within its territory was
moved by Hon. Sen. Danson Mungatana of Kenya and seconded
by Hon. Joseph Kalasinga Majimbo, also of Kenya.
During the debate,
Members reaffirmed that violence, intimidation and discrimination against
fellow Africans are incompatible with Pan-Africanism, Ubuntu and the vision of
an integrated continent in which people can live, work and travel in safety and
dignity.
Parliamentarians
expressed solidarity with victims of attacks and intimidation, particularly
women, children and families whose lives, livelihoods and property may have
been affected.
They called for stronger
measures to protect the rights, dignity and security of African nationals,
while stressing that grievances relating to unemployment, public services,
crime or irregular migration must be addressed through lawful institutions
rather than vigilantism, collective punishment or violence.
The debate highlighted
the need to strengthen early-warning systems, community-level prevention
mechanisms and coordinated law-enforcement responses. Members also called for
perpetrators of physical violence, destruction of property, intimidation, hate
speech and incitement to be held accountable.
South African
authorities have repeatedly stated that immigration enforcement is the
responsibility of the state and that private individuals have no authority to
confront people in public places or demand proof of nationality. President
Cyril Ramaphosa has also said that xenophobia, Afrophobia and other
forms of intolerance have no place in the country.
The South African
Government’s Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration has similarly pledged to
manage irregular migration through lawful, coordinated and constitutional
measures, while rejecting racism, xenophobia, tribalism, hate speech and
Afrophobia.
Members of the
Pan-African Parliament acknowledged those official commitments and South
Africa’s continuing efforts but maintained that stronger preventive, protective
and accountability measures were required to ensure the safety of all persons
within the country.
The debate also
emphasized the importance of public education, dialogue and social-cohesion
programmes capable of addressing misinformation, economic frustration and
narratives that portray foreign nationals as collective threats.
Parliamentarians warned
that inflammatory political rhetoric and the circulation of false or
manipulated content on social media could intensify tensions and create
conditions for violence. South African authorities have also raised concern
about old, staged or manipulated images being circulated to incite hostility
against foreign nationals.
Members called for
deeper cooperation among the Pan-African Parliament, the African Union, the
South African Government, national parliaments, civil society organizations and
affected communities to address the root causes of Afrophobic and xenophobic
violence.
They stressed that the
pursuit of continental integration under Agenda 2063 would be severely
undermined if Africans continued to face hostility or exclusion in other
African countries.
Water and Sanitation
Placed at Centre of Agenda 2063
The plenary also held a
major debate on the African Union Theme of the Year 2026: “Assuring
Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals
of Agenda 2063.”
The report was presented
by Hon. Sulayman Saho, Chairperson of the Committee on Rural
Economy, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, with a contribution
from H.E. Moses Vilakati, African Union Commissioner for
Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, who
participated virtually.
The African Union
formally adopted the water and sanitation theme at the 39th Ordinary Session of
the Assembly of Heads of State and Government on 14 February 2026. The theme
recognizes water and sanitation as essential foundations for public health,
food security, economic transformation, climate resilience and regional
stability.
Presenting the
Committee’s report, Hon. Saho underscored that sustainable
water management could no longer be treated solely as an environmental concern.
It is also a matter of human dignity, food production, public health, gender
equality, economic development and peace.
Members reaffirmed the
principle that water is life and sanitation is dignity, warning
that unequal access to safe water and sanitation continues to deepen poverty
and social inequality across the continent.
They called for accelerated
investment in water supply systems, sanitation infrastructure, wastewater
treatment, irrigation, rural water access and the protection of rivers, lakes,
wetlands and underground water resources.
The debate also
highlighted the need for climate-resilient water governance as African
countries face increasingly severe droughts, floods, desertification, pollution
and competition over limited water resources.
Parliamentarians called
on governments to integrate water planning into climate adaptation, agriculture,
urban development, public health and disaster-risk-reduction policies.
They further stressed
that sustainable agriculture and food security depend on the responsible
management of water, land and other natural resources.
Earlier parliamentary discussions
on the AU Theme of the Year had identified the legislative, budgetary,
oversight and advocacy responsibilities of African parliaments in translating
continental water commitments into national action. Those discussions also
highlighted disparities between urban and rural communities and the
disproportionate burden borne by women and girls who often travel long
distances to collect water.
Members therefore called
for:
· Increased public investment in water and
sanitation infrastructure;
· Stronger regulation of water use and pollution;
· Improved trans-boundary water cooperation;
· Climate-resilient water investment plans;
· Protection and rehabilitation of watersheds and
ecosystems;
· Greater accountability in the management of
water projects;
· Sustainable agricultural and irrigation
practices; and
· Stronger parliamentary monitoring of national
and continental commitments.
The African Union’s
Africa Water Vision 2063 and Policy provides a continental framework for
strengthening water security and aligning national efforts with the development
ambitions of Agenda 2063.
The plenary debate
reinforced the responsibility of the Pan-African Parliament and national
legislatures to examine government budgets, enact enabling legislation and
ensure that commitments on water and sanitation are matched by measurable
implementation.
Model Law on Critical
Minerals in Africa Considered
The Parliament also
considered the report on the Project for the Development of a Model Law on
Critical Minerals in Africa, presented by Hon. Sulayman Saho.
The proposed initiative
comes at a time when demand for minerals used in renewable-energy technologies,
digital systems, electric vehicles, batteries and other strategic industries is
increasing globally.
Africa possesses
significant deposits of many of these resources, but Members emphasized that
mineral wealth must be governed in a manner that promotes African
industrialization, local processing, environmental protection and equitable
benefits for communities.
The debate highlighted
the need for a harmonized continental legislative framework capable of guiding
Member States in the exploration, extraction, processing, export and strategic
management of critical minerals.
Parliamentarians
stressed that African countries should move beyond the export of unprocessed
mineral resources and develop domestic and regional value chains capable of
creating employment, strengthening manufacturing and retaining a greater
proportion of mineral revenues within the continent.
The proposed Model Law
could provide guidance on licensing, transparency, environmental standards,
community consultation, revenue management, local content, technology transfer
and the prevention of illegal exploitation.
Members also underlined
the importance of protecting communities affected by mining operations,
including through compensation, environmental rehabilitation and meaningful
participation in decisions concerning land and natural resources.
Model laws developed by
the Pan-African Parliament are intended to assist national legislatures in
harmonizing, modernizing and strengthening domestic legal frameworks while
allowing each country to adapt the provisions to its circumstances. The
Parliament’s procedures envisage consultation with regional and national
parliaments, African Union organs and relevant stakeholders before a model law
is adopted and forwarded for continental approval and domestication.
The critical-minerals
initiative was therefore presented as an opportunity to promote greater policy
coherence and prevent fragmented national approaches that could weaken Africa’s
bargaining position in global mineral markets.
Parliament Advances Work
on an African Food Policy Model Law
The Committee also
presented a report on the development of a Model Law on African Food Policy.
The proposed framework
is intended to strengthen Africa’s response to food insecurity, malnutrition,
rising food prices, climate shocks and the continuing dependence of many
countries on imported agricultural products.
Members emphasized that
food security requires more than increased agricultural production. It also
demands effective legislation covering access to land, water, agricultural
inputs, storage, transportation, markets, nutrition, food safety and support
for smallholder farmers.
The debate highlighted
the importance of protecting the rights and livelihoods of rural communities,
women farmers, young agricultural entrepreneurs and other groups that make
essential contributions to food production.
Parliamentarians called
for closer alignment between national food policies and continental strategies
on agricultural transformation, climate resilience, intra-African trade and
sustainable natural-resource management.
The Pan-African
Parliament has previously developed a Model Law on Food Security and Nutrition
in Africa to guide Member States in drafting national or subnational
legislation on the right to adequate food and food and nutrition security.
The latest discussions
reinforce the broader objective of ensuring that African food systems are
resilient, sustainable and capable of meeting the nutritional needs of a
growing population.
Members stressed that
the continent’s food policy must prioritise local production, agro-processing,
regional trade, strategic food reserves and reduced post-harvest losses.
They also linked food
security to the debate on water availability, noting that sustainable
agriculture cannot be achieved without effective water governance, healthy
soils and climate-resilient farming systems.
PAP Calls for
Accelerated Ratification and Implementation of ACDEG
Thursday’s proceedings
also featured the presentation and debate on the report of the
Capacity-Building Programme for Pan-African Parliamentarians on the
ratification and state-reporting obligations under the African Charter on
Democracy, Elections and Governance.
The report was presented
by Hon. Seniya Ahmed of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic,
Rapporteur of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights.
The African Charter on
Democracy, Elections and Governance, commonly known as ACDEG, was adopted by
African Heads of State and Government on 30 January 2007 and entered into force
on 15 February 2012. It establishes continental standards relating to
democracy, constitutional governance, credible elections, human rights and
responses to unconstitutional changes of government.
Presenting the
report, Hon. Ahmed underscored the central role of parliaments
in ensuring that the principles contained in the Charter are reflected in
national constitutions, electoral laws, institutional practices and systems of
public accountability.
During the debate,
Members called for accelerated ratification, domestication and implementation
of ACDEG by African Union Member States.
They expressed concern
that the adoption or ratification of continental treaties does not
automatically guarantee compliance, particularly where domestic laws remain
inconsistent with continental standards or where institutions lack the independence
and resources required to enforce them.
Parliamentarians called
for stronger democratic institutions, independent judiciaries, credible
electoral-management bodies and transparent electoral systems.
They also emphasized the
need to safeguard political participation, freedom of expression, access to
information, civic space and the ability of citizens to hold public officials
accountable.
Members called for
stronger parliamentary oversight of government compliance with ACDEG and
improved cooperation among the Pan-African Parliament, the African Union
Commission, national legislatures, electoral bodies and human-rights
institutions.
They further recommended
more effective monitoring and reporting mechanisms so that Member States
regularly account for the legal and institutional measures taken to implement
the Charter.
The African Commission
on Human and Peoples’ Rights has continued to call for universal ratification,
domestication and implementation of ACDEG, while also urging countries to
strengthen the independence, transparency and funding of electoral-management
bodies.
The Charter itself seeks
to deepen democratic governance, uphold constitutional rule, promote credible
elections and reinforce the African Union’s collective response to
unconstitutional changes of government.
Members stressed that
parliaments must not be passive observers of democratic governance. They must
enact appropriate laws, scrutinise electoral institutions, oversee public
expenditure, protect constitutionalism and ensure that state reports accurately
reflect progress and continuing challenges.
Connecting Human
Security, Governance and Continental Integration
Although Thursday’s
agenda covered different subjects, the debates were connected by a common
concern: the need to protect the dignity, security and welfare of African
citizens through stronger laws, institutions and systems of accountability.
The motions on
Afrophobic and xenophobic violence addressed the safety and freedom of Africans
living outside their countries of origin.
The debate on water and
sanitation focused on access to essential services and the sustainable
management of resources upon which health, agriculture and livelihoods depend.
The proposed model laws
on critical minerals and food policy examined how Africa’s natural wealth and
agricultural potential could be governed in the public interest.
The ACDEG report,
meanwhile, reinforced the importance of democratic institutions, credible
elections, constitutional government and parliamentary accountability.
Together, the
proceedings demonstrated the broad responsibilities of the Pan-African
Parliament as the continental institution expected to represent African
citizens and promote the harmonization of laws and policies across Member
States.
They also reflected the
challenge placed before the Seventh Legislature at its opening: to ensure that
the Parliament’s effectiveness is judged not merely by the number of reports or
resolutions it adopts, but by the measurable changes its work helps deliver.
Addressing the opening
of the Session, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa described
the Pan-African Parliament as the democratic voice of more than 1.5 billion
Africans and called for stronger legislative action, parliamentary oversight
and continental cooperation to translate Agenda 2063 into tangible results.
Thursday’s deliberations
reinforced that mandate.
Whether confronting
Afrophobic violence, securing access to water, governing Africa’s critical
minerals, strengthening food systems or defending democratic rule, Members
repeatedly emphasized that continental aspirations must be supported by
enforceable laws, adequate financing, effective institutions and sustained
parliamentary oversight.
The emerging message
from the First Ordinary Session of the Seventh Legislature was therefore clear:
the Africa envisioned under Agenda 2063 can only be realized when solidarity is
protected, natural resources are responsibly governed, democratic commitments
are implemented and the dignity of every African is placed at the centre of
continental policy.
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