Senegal Backs Stronger Pan-African Parliament as PAP Pushes for Malabo Protocol Ratification

Senegal’s parliamentary leaders back a stronger PAP, closer follow-up on its resolutions and timely treaty scrutiny during Malabo Protocol advocacy talks.

Senegal’s parliamentary leadership has reaffirmed its support for strengthening the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), calling for closer cooperation between national and continental legislatures, better monitoring of PAP resolutions and adequate resources for the Parliament to fulfil its mandate.

The commitments emerged during a meeting on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, when El Malick Ndiaye, First Vice-President of Senegal’s National Assembly, received a delegation from PAP’s West African Regional Caucus led by Hon. Lazare Yao Yao. The visit formed part of the Caucus’s advocacy mission to Senegal to promote the ratification and implementation of African Union instruments.

The delegation’s principal focus was the revised Protocol relating to the Pan-African Parliament, commonly known as the Malabo Protocol, alongside other AU legal instruments and programmes, including the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.

From continental resolutions to national action

Welcoming the delegation on behalf of the National Assembly’s President, Ousmane Sonko, Ndiaye conveyed his greetings and described the visit as an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between African parliamentary institutions.

He reaffirmed Senegal’s commitment to a stronger Pan-African Parliament and to advancing democracy, peace, African integration and the fight against corruption.

Ndiaye placed particular emphasis on the need for national parliaments to improve their monitoring of recommendations and resolutions adopted by PAP. He called for closer cooperation between Senegal’s National Assembly and the continental Parliament, together with greater national parliamentary involvement in implementing commitments made at the African level.

That emphasis addresses a practical challenge in continental governance: recommendations adopted by PAP need sustained engagement within member states to influence legislation, government policy and administrative practice.

National parliaments can contribute by referring relevant PAP resolutions to their committees, seeking government responses and reviewing the measures required for implementation. Such follow-up would help connect continental deliberations with the institutions responsible for delivering results within individual countries.

Advancing the Malabo Protocol

The meeting gave PAP an opportunity to advance its campaign for Senegal’s ratification of the Malabo Protocol. Senegal signed the instrument on 2 June 2021, although the AU’s published country-by-country status list, dated September 2023, does not record its ratification or deposit of an instrument of ratification.

Adopted in June 2014, the Protocol provides for a revised institutional framework for PAP. Article 8 identifies the Parliament as the AU’s legislative organ while providing for it to propose draft model laws on subjects determined by the AU Assembly, for the Assembly’s consideration and approval. Its entry into force would therefore strengthen PAP’s role within a framework that retains significant authority for the Assembly.

The Protocol requires the deposit of ratification instruments by a simple majority of AU member states—currently 28 countries—and would enter into force 30 days after that threshold is reached. In February 2025, the AU Assembly reported that 13 further ratifications were needed.

The Dakar discussions were an advocacy engagement; the account of the meeting does not announce that Senegal has completed ratification.

Stronger institutions require adequate resources

Ndiaye also called for strengthening PAP’s institutional and legal framework and providing the resources necessary for it to carry out its responsibilities.

His remarks underline the relationship between mandate and capacity. Parliamentary cooperation, treaty advocacy, committee work and follow-up on continental decisions all require sustained funding, staff and administrative support.

For PAP, stronger cooperation with national legislatures could help build support for both its institutional development and the practical implementation of its recommendations. Senegal’s call for adequate resources adds an operational dimension to its endorsement of a stronger continental Parliament.

Sonko stresses treaty scrutiny, unity and peace

At the conclusion of the meeting, National Assembly President Ousmane Sonko joined the delegation and reiterated the Senegalese Parliament’s support for African unity and continental integration.

Sonko reaffirmed that texts concerning treaty ratification are examined and voted on by the National Assembly as promptly as possible, in accordance with applicable procedures. He also emphasised the need to strengthen efforts to promote stability and consolidate peace across African states.

His remarks provide a basis for continued engagement on the Malabo Protocol and the other instruments presented by the PAP delegation. Further progress will depend on the relevant national procedures and the subsequent deposit of any ratification instrument with the AU.

The meeting’s significance also extends beyond treaty ratification. By calling for better monitoring of PAP resolutions, stronger parliamentary cooperation and adequate institutional resources, Senegal’s leadership identified concrete areas in which national legislatures can help make continental commitments more effective.