APPN commends the African Union for resolving the impasse at the Pan-African Parliament

The African Parliamentary Press Network (APPN) has commended the African Union (AU) and its other policy organs for their complementary roles in resolving the impasse which marred the May 2021 election Session of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) which ended in a deadlock.

The message of commendation was contained in a press release issued on Monday, December 13, 2021 and jointly signed by the Chairperson of the APPN Steering Committee, Oluchukkwu Ibekwe and the Programme Coordinator of APPN, Gilbert Borketey Boyefio.

“The African Parliamentary Press Network (APPN) commends the intervention of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU), the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat and the other policy organs of the AU in working assiduously and harmoniously to ensure that the misunderstanding that led to the disruption of proceedings at the Fourth Ordinary Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) were resolved in line with the established African Union values, rules, and regulations,” the release said.

Disagreements among Members of the Pan African Parliament from some regional blocs on the continent over the application of the principle of rotation in the election of the president of PAP, ended up in chaos.

This led to a suspension of the elections and brought an abrupt end to the proceedings of the Fourth Ordinary Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Pan African Parliament until the intervention of the African Union.

The intervention culminated in the decision of the 39th Ordinary Session of the African Union Executive Council in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where it has been directed that only regions which have not had the opportunity to lead the continental Parliament would be eligible to present candidates when the bureau elections resumes.

The African Parliamentary Press Network (APPN) which is a Network of African journalists and information officers reporting from regional, sub-regional and national Parliaments in Africa, urged the Parliamentarians to accept the resolution of the Executive Council and focus on the bread and butter issues and development that promote a united Africa.

The release by the group also called on “all national Parliaments that are yet to ratify the Malabo Protocol to do so to give the Pan-African Parliament the needed legislative powers.”

Below is the full release by the APPN

Statement by the African Parliamentary Press Network (APPN) on resolution of issues that led to the suspension of PAP election session.

The African Parliamentary Press Network (APPN) commends the intervention of the Executive Council of the African Union (AU), the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat and the other policy organs of the AU in working assiduously and harmoniously to ensure that the misunderstanding that led to disruption of proceedings at the Fourth Ordinary Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) were resolved in line with the established African Union values, rules, and regulations.

APPN recalls that the May election Session of PAP ended in chaos and/ or disorder, due to disagreement among some regions on the application of the principle of rotation in the election of the Parliament’s president.

APPN commends the AUC Chairperson H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat for setting up the fact-finding delegation that visited the PAP Secretariat and submitted a progress report with far-reaching recommendations. The report of the delegation formed the basis for the decisions and recommendations of the policy organs.

The various interventions culminated in the decision of 39th Ordinary Session of the African Union Executive Council in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia that only regions that have not had the opportunity to lead the Parliament would be eligible to present candidates at the resumed bureau election to be conducted and managed by the Office of Legal Counsel.

APPN urges the Parliamentarians to accept the resolution of the issue in good faith and henceforth focus on issues that promote a united Africa instead of dwelling on issues that tended to divide us. These include the manufacturing of COVID-19 Vaccines and related drugs in Africa, challenges of youth unemployment, under-development, poverty, insecurity, and promoting participatory democracy.

The APPN takes this opportunity to call on all national Parliaments that are yet to ratify the Malabo Protocol to do so to give the Pan-African Parliament the needed legislative powers.

The APPN assures the Executive Council of the African Union (AU), and the PAP of its unflinching support and collaboration in providing publicity and education for all African citizens on the Continent on the activities of PAP to make it very relevant to them.

About APPN

The African Parliamentary Press Network is a Network of African journalists and information officers reporting from regional, sub-regional and national Parliaments in Africa. APPN promotes parliamentary openness and cordial working relationship between Parliaments and the media and believes that a well mobilized and resourced press corps or galleries in all African parliaments will set the stage for the work of African Parliaments, including the Pan-African Parliament, to be made visible to the people of Africa.

Signed Hon. Oluchukkwu Ibekwe
Steering Committee Chair
African Parliamentary Press Network

Hon. Gilbert Borketey Boyefio
Coordinator
APPN Secretariat

Source: Clement Akoloh||parliamentnews360.com