The Pan African Parliament (PAP) President, Chief Fortune Charumbira, has called for the reform of the African Union (AU) to make it more representative of African citizens.
Speaking at the ongoing Permanent Representatives’ Committee (PRC) Retreat on the Restructuring of the African Union in Kigali, Rwanda, Chief Charumbira said that the AU would be “a Union of Member States and not a Union of African citizens” without the PAP, which consists of elected representatives of the people.
Chief Charumbira, a proponent of reforms, highlighted the importance of a continental Parliament in realizing representative democracy, popular participation, and continental integration. He said that the PAP remains the only viable mechanism for ensuring full participation and representation of all citizens in the affairs of the AU.
The PAP President commended Professor Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo, the Head of the AU Reform Unit, and his team for presenting a comprehensive report on the proposed restructuring of the African Union. Chief Charumbira praised the report’s analysis of the challenges hindering the Pan African Parliament and other AU organs from fulfilling their mandates effectively and meeting the expectations of African citizens.
Chief Charumbira affirmed that despite the lengthy reform process, the report justifies the time and resources invested, as it concisely addresses the issues concerning the PAP. He also agreed with the report’s observations and recommendations.
Furthermore, he stressed that the report underscores the PAP’s role within the AU Governance architecture. Reforming the continental Parliament is central to the AU’s aspiration of becoming a people-centered institution, which is crucial for achieving the key aspirations outlined in Agenda 2063.
The Kigali consultations will cover institutional reforms and the ongoing processes aimed at repositioning the organization. The goal is to ensure that the AU has the necessary institutional capacity to fulfill the economic, political, and social vision of the continent as encapsulated in Agenda 2063.
Chief Charumbira added that the PAP concurs with the recommendations put forth by the Reform Unit. These include according the PAP its appropriate position within the hierarchy of AU organs, enabling its participation in meetings of the Executive Council and the Assembly. He also emphasized the need to support the PAP President, the Bureau, and the Assembly in carrying out their responsibilities for managing and administering the PAP. Additionally, Chief Charumbira called for the appointment of skilled officers who are accountable to the PAP Bureau and the Assembly to support the work of Parliamentary Committees, Research, and Budget mandates.
Other recommendations include granting the PAP Bureau and relevant Parliamentary Committees a pivotal role in developing the PAP’s budget, with appropriate support from the PAP Secretariat. It is suggested that the PAP should have oversight over the Union budget before its consideration by the Assembly, without undermining the roles of the PRC and the Executive Council. A mechanism should be developed to ensure that each organ plays its part in budgetary oversight, in accordance with the Protocols.
The Kigali Retreat is being attended by members of the AU PRC, African Union organs, and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs).
The reform agenda emphasizes the need to prioritize key continental objectives, realign AU institutions to deliver on those objectives, ensure operational efficiency, and establish sustainable self-financing for the Union.
The retreat also covers discussions on the second 10-year plan of Agenda 2063, spanning from 2024 to 2033. Agenda 2063 was adopted during the 24th Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa in January 2015. This agenda embodies the aspirations of the African people, encompassing a collective ambition: The Africa We Want in 2063.
