Pan-African Parliament vice-president urges stronger partnerships to drive Africa’s integration

Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, Second Vice-President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), has called for stronger cooperation between African parliamentary institutions to help advance continental integration and support the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

Speaking at the opening of the second day of the 26th Conference of Speakers of National and Regional Parliaments in Midrand, South Africa, she said African institutions must replace isolated working practices with strategic partnerships focused on clear, measurable results for citizens.

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings said Africa’s ambitions for development would depend on closer parliamentary diplomacy, the alignment of legislation and coordinated action by continental and regional bodies.

She identified peace and security, economic integration, climate resilience, democratic governance and gender equality as areas in which African parliaments needed to work together more effectively.

The Second Vice-President of the Pan-African Parliament also urged African Union Member States to speed up ratification of the Malabo Protocol, describing it as an important step in strengthening the legislative powers of the continental Parliament.

She said allowing the Pan-African Parliament to operate fully within the African Union’s governance structure would help deepen regional integration and improve coordination of policies across Africa.

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings added that stronger parliamentary institutions could improve accountability, raise governance standards and support the effective delivery of continental development programmes.

The conference heard contributions from a number of regional parliamentary organisations, including the ECOWAS Parliament, which restated its commitment to closer cooperation with the Pan-African Parliament.

Participants said stronger links between continental and regional legislatures were needed to turn Africa’s shared objectives into practical improvements in the lives of its citizens.

They argued that effective partnerships would strengthen legislative scrutiny, create greater consistency in policymaking and assist the implementation of major continental projects, including the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Agenda 2063.

Speakers also underlined the importance of sustained dialogue and cooperation among African legislatures in reinforcing democratic governance, regional stability and inclusive development.

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings said African institutions should embrace collaboration that was strategic, results-oriented and capable of addressing the continent’s shared development challenges.

She said the aim should be to build a more integrated, peaceful and prosperous Africa through collective action rather than separate initiatives pursued by individual institutions.

The Conference of Speakers of National and Regional Parliaments is part of the Pan-African Parliament’s efforts to deepen cooperation between legislatures and advance the African Union’s vision of “The Africa We Want.”

The Pan-African Parliament is seeking stronger institutional partnerships as African countries continue efforts to improve policy coordination, support regional integration and implement the long-term priorities set out in Agenda 2063.

GNA

Edited by Kenneth Sackey

Reporter: Morkporkpor Anku [email protected]