Pan-African Parliament and NAM Parliamentary Network Sign Cooperation Agreement in Baku

The Pan-African Parliament and Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network have signed an agreement to strengthen dialogue, parliamentary diplomacy and cooperation.

The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) and the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network (NAM PN) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening parliamentary diplomacy, institutional cooperation and coordinated engagement on major global challenges.

The agreement was signed in Baku by the President of the Pan-African Parliament, H.E. Dr. Fateh Boutbig, and the Speaker of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis, H.E. Ms. Sahiba Gafarova, in her capacity as Chairperson of the Non-Aligned Movement Parliamentary Network.

The signing took place during Dr. Boutbig’s official visit to the Republic of Azerbaijan, where he and his delegation were received at the Milli Majlis as part of a programme of high-level parliamentary and diplomatic engagements.

The agreement represents a significant expansion of the Pan-African Parliament’s international partnerships and provides a formal platform through which African parliamentarians can engage more systematically with their counterparts from Non-Aligned Movement member states.

Framework for sustained parliamentary cooperation

The Memorandum establishes a framework for regular dialogue and cooperation between the Pan-African Parliament and the NAM Parliamentary Network.

It provides for meetings between the leadership of the two institutions, greater interaction among parliamentarians, cooperation between relevant committees, exchanges of delegations and expertise, and closer coordination within international parliamentary forums.

The two institutions are also expected to develop a joint action plan identifying priority areas and practical activities for implementation. Progress under the partnership will be reviewed regularly.

This implementation mechanism is particularly important because the value of the agreement will ultimately depend on the extent to which its commitments are translated into measurable programmes.

Regular reviews could help both institutions assess whether planned meetings, committee engagements, exchanges and joint initiatives are taking place and whether they are producing concrete benefits for their members and the people they represent.

Advancing parliamentary diplomacy

During their engagement at the Milli Majlis, Dr. Boutbig and Speaker Gafarova discussed opportunities to strengthen parliamentary diplomacy, deepen institutional cooperation and promote dialogue on matters of common concern.

They emphasized the role of parliaments in advancing multilateralism, international cooperation, sustainable development and stronger relations between Africa and the wider international community.

Parliamentary diplomacy complements traditional government-to-government relations by creating additional channels through which legislators can exchange perspectives, share experiences and build consensus on issues that transcend national boundaries.

Through committee-level engagement and exchanges among parliamentarians, the partnership could facilitate dialogue on peace and security, sustainable development, economic cooperation, climate change, food and energy security, institutional development and implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

For the Pan-African Parliament, the agreement also provides an opportunity to ensure that African priorities are more consistently reflected in international parliamentary discussions.

Connecting Africa with the Non-Aligned Movement

The Non-Aligned Movement brings together countries largely drawn from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. Its Parliamentary Network provides a forum through which parliamentarians from participating states can contribute to dialogue on shared international priorities.

Many African countries are members of the Non-Aligned Movement and share its longstanding commitment to sovereignty, peaceful coexistence, multilateralism and greater participation by developing countries in global decision-making.

The new partnership therefore creates a bridge between the Pan-African Parliament, which represents the peoples of African Union member states, and a wider parliamentary network connecting developing countries across several regions.

This could strengthen cooperation among countries of the Global South and provide African parliamentarians with additional opportunities to build coalitions around matters affecting the continent.

It could also help to amplify African positions within international parliamentary forums, particularly on questions such as reform of global governance institutions, sustainable development financing, peace and security, climate justice and the representation of developing regions in international decision-making.

From agreement to joint action

The proposed joint action plan will be central to determining the practical direction of the partnership.

Among the possible areas of cooperation are regular consultations between the leadership of the two institutions, joint conferences and workshops, exchanges between parliamentary committees and coordinated engagement within international organizations.

The institutions could also facilitate the exchange of legislative knowledge and experience in areas such as implementation of international commitments, oversight of sustainable-development programmes and parliamentary participation in conflict prevention and peacebuilding.

Exchanges involving parliamentary officials could support institutional capacity-building, documentation, research, legislative drafting and the development of more effective administrative systems.

However, the Memorandum should be viewed as the beginning of a structured partnership rather than an end in itself. Its significance will depend on the quality of the joint action plan, the allocation of responsibilities, the establishment of realistic timelines and regular public reporting on implementation.

Clear priorities and measurable outcomes would help ensure that the agreement moves beyond ceremonial diplomacy and produces a sustainable relationship between the two institutions.

Building on Africa–Azerbaijan parliamentary relations

The agreement follows a series of engagements between the Pan-African Parliament and Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis.

Speaker Gafarova participated in the First Ordinary Session of the Seventh Legislature of the Pan-African Parliament and the Conference of Speakers of National and Regional Parliaments, held in Midrand, South Africa, from 31 July to 1 August 2026.

During her visit, she met Dr. Boutbig and discussed relations between Azerbaijan and African countries, opportunities for inter-parliamentary cooperation and closer engagement within international parliamentary organizations.

The two leaders also considered possible cooperation between the Pan-African Parliament and the NAM Parliamentary Network. Speaker Gafarova subsequently invited the PAP leadership to visit Azerbaijan, laying the foundation for the Baku mission and the newly signed Memorandum.

Dr. Boutbig’s visit therefore represents a progression from preliminary dialogue to formal institutional cooperation.

It also demonstrates how reciprocal parliamentary engagements can develop into structured partnerships when they are supported by clearly defined mechanisms for follow-up.

Expanding the PAP’s international partnerships

The Baku agreement forms part of efforts by the Seventh Legislature to reinforce the external relations of the Pan-African Parliament and enhance its engagement with parliamentary institutions and networks around the world.

Since assuming office in April 2026, Dr. Boutbig has placed emphasis on strengthening the PAP’s visibility and expanding its role in parliamentary diplomacy.

Such partnerships can support the Parliament’s mandate by opening channels for the exchange of expertise, improving its participation in multilateral discussions and creating opportunities to promote the objectives of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

They can also strengthen the PAP’s position as the parliamentary organ of the African Union and as an institution through which African concerns and aspirations can be articulated internationally.

The agreement with the NAM Parliamentary Network is particularly important because it connects the PAP with parliamentarians from countries that share many of Africa’s concerns about global inequality, development financing, peace, sovereignty and the need for a more inclusive international order.

A platform for a stronger African voice

The partnership could give African parliamentarians a broader platform from which to contribute to discussions on global governance and sustainable development.

Although African states participate individually in international organizations, coordinated parliamentary engagement can help develop common positions and ensure that African priorities are presented with greater consistency.

The Pan-African Parliament can use the new framework to promote continental objectives, including peace and security, regional integration, democratic governance and the implementation of Agenda 2063.

At the same time, engagement with the NAM Parliamentary Network could enable PAP members to learn from parliamentary practices and policy experiences in other regions of the Global South.

The signing of the Memorandum in Baku therefore marks an important institutional milestone. It transforms the developing relationship between the two bodies into a formal framework for sustained engagement.

Its ultimate success, however, will be measured not simply by the signing ceremony but by the activities undertaken, the results achieved and the extent to which the partnership strengthens the contribution of parliamentarians to peace, development and effective multilateral cooperation.