Ramaphosa and Boutbig Chart New Course as Seventh Pan-African Parliament Opens in Midrand

MIDRAND, South Africa, 27 July 2026: The Pan-African Parliament has officially inaugurated the First Ordinary Session of its Seventh Legislature, opening a new parliamentary chapter centred on institutional reform, accountable leadership, continental integration and the delivery of measurable results for the people of Africa.

The ceremony, held at the Parliament’s headquarters in Midrand, South Africa, brought together Members of the Pan-African Parliament, leaders of African Union organs and institutions, national parliamentarians, members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of partner organizations.

The President of the Republic of South Africa, H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa, attended as Guest of Honour and keynote speaker, underscoring South Africa’s continuing responsibility as host country to support the continental Parliament in the effective discharge of its mandate.

The opening formally launched the parliamentary programme of the Seventh Legislature following the election of a new Bureau on 30 April 2026, headed by the President of the Pan-African Parliament, H.E. Dr. Fateh Boutbig.

Boutbig Pledges Reform, Effectiveness and Delivery

In his opening address, Dr. Boutbig described the commencement of the Seventh Parliament as a decisive moment in the institutional evolution of Africa’s continental legislature.

He said the new parliamentary term represented the beginning of a chapter in which the Parliament was fully conscious of the responsibilities entrusted to it and the expectations of African citizens.

The PAP President announced that the work of the Seventh Parliament would be guided by four central principles: reform, effectiveness, partnership and delivery.

The approach, he explained, is intended to move the institution beyond the adoption of declarations and recommendations towards ensuring implementation and tangible impact.

“The peoples of our continent expect from us not eloquence, but sincerity of commitment. They judge the success of their institutions not by the promises they proclaim, but by the tangible achievements that improve citizens’ lives,” Dr. Boutbig said.

He pledged to build a modern and credible parliamentary institution founded on competence, innovation, accountability, transparency and effective parliamentary diplomacy.

Dr. Boutbig also expressed the Parliament’s appreciation to President Ramaphosa, the South African Government, Parliament and people for hosting the headquarters of the Pan-African Parliament and for their sustained support for the institution and the wider African Union system.

Four Strategic Priorities for the Seventh Parliament

The PAP President outlined four strategic areas that will guide the work of the new Legislature.

The first is the strengthening of the Parliament’s institutional performance through governance reforms, improved working methods and the revision and effective application of its Rules of Procedure.

The second priority is the advancement of legislative and economic integration, particularly through parliamentary support for the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Describing the AfCFTA as much more than a trade agreement, Dr. Boutbig characterized it as a strategic and civilizational project reflecting Africa’s determination to build its future through its own resources and capabilities.

The Parliament will accordingly pursue closer engagement with national and regional parliaments to promote legislative harmonization, domestication of continental commitments and the removal of legal and regulatory obstacles to intra-African trade.

The third priority is the use of parliamentary diplomacy to support peace, justice, dialogue and African-led solutions to the conflicts confronting the continent.

Dr. Boutbig said the Pan-African Parliament would remain a platform for dialogue, the peaceful resolution of disputes and support for the African Union’s conflict-prevention and peacebuilding initiatives.

The fourth priority focuses on digital transformation and the promotion of Africa’s digital sovereignty, including the development of appropriate legislative and policy frameworks capable of supporting innovation while protecting Africa’s interests in the rapidly evolving global digital economy.

Ramaphosa: PAP Must Be a Model of Democratic Governance

In his keynote address, President Ramaphosa described the Pan-African Parliament as an enduring symbol of African unity and an institution carrying the hopes and aspirations of more than 1.5 billion Africans.

He said the Parliament embodies the principle that Africa’s future must be shaped not only by governments but also by its peoples.

President Ramaphosa congratulated Dr. Boutbig and the four Vice-Presidents on their election, expressing confidence that the new leadership would advance African unity with integrity and purpose.

He described South Africa’s hosting of the Pan-African Parliament as both a privilege and a responsibility, recalling the solidarity extended to South Africans by African countries during the struggle against apartheid.

According to the President, South Africa’s future remains inseparable from the future of the African continent, making its support for continental integration, development, peace and institution-building a continuing national obligation.

President Ramaphosa called on the Parliament to exemplify the democratic values it promotes across Africa.

“This Parliament must itself exemplify the democratic values it seeks to advance across the continent. It must be a model of integrity, transparency, accountability, responsible stewardship and fidelity to its own rules,” he said.

He stressed that the institution’s strength would depend not only on its formal powers but also on the confidence it inspires among African citizens.

The South African President urged Members to strengthen accountable institutions, advance constitutionalism and the rule of law, defend human rights and ensure that African Union commitments translate into improvements in citizens’ daily lives.

He further called on the Parliament to speak firmly against unconstitutional changes of government, unlawful extensions of political tenure, the weakening of democratic institutions and the misuse of public resources.

Parliamentary Action on Water and Sanitation

The Session is being convened under the African Union’s 2026 Theme of the Year: “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.”

President Ramaphosa described access to clean water and safe sanitation as a fundamental human right and a vital requirement for human dignity, health, education, food security, industrial development and social stability.

He noted that millions of Africans still lack reliable access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation, while women and girls often bear a disproportionate burden through the time and effort required to collect water.

Climate change, droughts, floods, ageing infrastructure, pollution, insufficient investment and weak governance are placing additional pressure on the continent’s water resources.

President Ramaphosa therefore called on the Pan-African Parliament and national legislatures to develop and harmonize enabling laws, oversee public expenditure, encourage investment in water infrastructure and hold governments accountable for the delivery of water and sanitation services.

He emphasized that continental commitments must ultimately be reflected in national development plans, municipal budgets and the lived experiences of African citizens.

Accelerating AfCFTA Implementation

Economic integration and the implementation of the AfCFTA featured prominently in the two Presidents’ addresses.

President Ramaphosa described the continental free trade area as one of Africa’s most powerful instruments for unity, prosperity and progress.

However, he cautioned that agreements alone would not create an integrated African market.

He said governments and legislatures must remove non-tariff barriers, modernize customs systems, improve transport and logistics, harmonize regulations and establish efficient payment systems capable of reducing the cost of intra-African trade.

The Pan-African Parliament, he added, must work closely with national and regional parliaments to domesticate AfCFTA obligations and ensure that governments are held accountable for implementation.

The successful development of the continental market would support African industrialization, value addition, job creation and greater economic participation by women and young people.

Addressing Peace, Migration and Global Governance

The opening ceremony also placed peace, migration and Africa’s role in international governance at the centre of the Seventh Parliament’s agenda.

President Ramaphosa urged African countries to address the underlying causes of irregular migration, including conflict, instability, governance failures, poverty and unequal economic opportunity.

He condemned intimidation and violence directed at foreign nationals while maintaining that migration must be managed through fair and effective laws that protect sovereignty, uphold human dignity and respect international obligations.

He called on the Pan-African Parliament to exercise leadership in developing sustainable continental responses to migration and to work towards an Africa where people migrate by choice rather than necessity.

The President also urged Africa to speak with a common and resolute voice on the reform of the United Nations Security Council, the international financial system and global institutions governing trade, climate and technology.

A Legislature to Be Judged by Results

The First Ordinary Session is expected to deliberate on the AU Theme of the Year, peace and security, governance, trade and economic integration, gender equality, youth participation and reports from the Parliament’s Permanent Committees and Caucuses.

It will also provide an opportunity for Members to strengthen oversight of African Union programmes and consider how continental policies can be more effectively implemented at national and regional levels.

Both President Boutbig and President Ramaphosa made clear that the Seventh Parliament will ultimately be judged not by the number of speeches delivered or resolutions adopted, but by its contribution to implementation and improvements in the lives of African citizens.

“The success of this Seventh Legislature will not be measured only by the debates it holds or the resolutions it adopts,” President Ramaphosa said.

“It will be measured by the laws it helps to shape, the commitments it helps to implement and the difference it makes in the daily lives of the people of Africa.”

He challenged the institution to become the conscience of the continent, the voice of Africa’s most vulnerable people, the guardian of democracy and a champion of peace.

The official opening therefore sets a demanding but clear standard for the new Legislature: to rebuild institutional confidence, deepen parliamentary cooperation and transform Africa’s continental commitments from aspirations on paper into laws, policies and practical results.