The first ordinary session of the sixth Parliament of Pan African Parliament (PAP) opened on Monday in Johannesburg with new members having been sworn in during the opening ceremony.

A total of 257 members of parliament are members of the PAP who are meeting in South Africa to deliberate on issues affecting the African continent.

Having been instrumental in the executive council of the African Union adopting a resolution to apply the principle of rotation to the PAP presidency, which will provide all regions an equal opportunity to lead, Namibia will continue to agitate for the renewal of the body.

Namibia’s Bernadus Swartbooi earlier this week said this time around, after the elections of the new president in the bureau, “the focus is on the renewal and rejuvenation of this important institution so that it is able to be task focused and that it is able to gain the necessary recognition and the necessary status as an important legislative organ of the African Union.”

He further said, “We will have to shape up the internal workings of the organs of this body.

“We have embarked on a massive rules changing process and those amendments have now been tabled. In various caucuses of the five regions, we are discussing the new rules that have been proposed. We have had initial plenary discussions at which the caucus also tabling the views, the opinions, the additions on the amendments that have been proposed.”

Part of the amendments proposed is the increase of committee’s from 11 to 15. The Southern African region has proposed the 17 committees which includes issues of mining, climate change as well as science and technology and education as a standalone subject on substantive issues.

Swartbooi also said once they are done with the creation of new committees and the reform process, they would also look at ways to enhance the funding of the institution.

President of the PAP, Fortune Charumbira in his opening remarks, said Africa faces challenges of civil wars, unconstitutional change of governments, food insecurity, poverty, hunger, a growing energy crisis and natural disasters. He called on African countries to address the challenges. 

Charumbira said, “we call for the silencing of guns and breaking of the cycle of conflicts and insecurity in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia and northern Mozambique, including through promotion of inter-community dialogues and projects, as well as fighting impunity for serious crimes.”
He urged African countries that have not yet ratified the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement to do so. 

Charumbira requested African countries to “urgently remove trade tariffs and other barriers”, to facilitate the free movement of people and goods on the continent.
-Additional reporting 

Nampa/Xinhua