Moroccan, Pan African Parliaments Welcome Return to Full Operational Functionality of PAP – Joint Declaration –

Morocco’s Parliament and Pan African Parliament (PAP) havewelcomed the return to full operational functionality of the PAP under the new Bureau elected in June 2022. In a Joint Declaration published on Tuesday, the two parties stressed “the importance of acting jointly to support the call from the President of PAP to reunify the Pan African Parliament.” The statement was released at the end of the important visit to Morocco of a delegation of the Pan African Parliament, headed by its President, Fortune Charumbira, on September 24-27, 2022, at the invitation of the Moroccan Parliament. The two parties reaffirmed their commitment to work together to ensure that the PAP reclaims its place in the continental governance matrix by making an impactful contribution to the lives and livelihoods of the people of Africa. The Pan African Parliament highly commended on this occasion the ratification by Morocco of the Protocol to the constitutive act of the AU relating to the Pan African Parliament (PAP) also known as the Malabo Protocol, the declaration read. The two parties agreed on the importance of continuing to call upon African States to mobilize support for the ratification of the Malabo Protocol, according to the Declaration. The two parties welcomed the successful organization of the 11th Conference of the Speakers of African National and Regional Parliaments, held in Midrand, on Sept.1-2, 2022, with the participation of the Moroccan Parliament and its positive contribution in promoting coordination and harmonization of parliamentary. The two parliamentary institutions decided to support the vision of the new Bureau of the PAP, chaired by Fortune Charumbira, to revive, renew, reposition, and reinvigorate the continental Parliament, especially at a time when the African continent is facing numerous challenges including poverty, rising unemployment, unconstitutional changes in governments, lack of control over resources, new conflicts and violence, the status of women and youth, and economic progress retarded by the COVID-19 pandemic. They also agreed to support the policies, programmes, objectives and activities of the PAP in this context, aiming at fulfilling its mandate in terms of advocacy for unity, inclusive and sustainable development, peace, stability, democracy, respect for human rights ans good governance on the African Continent and “its goal in building a better Africa pursued under Panafricanism and African Renaissance and based on achieving the continent’s aspiration for progress and collective prosperity.” The two parties agreed on the importance of advocating for peace and security on the continent, as it remains crucial for the advancement of the aspirations and development of its nations. They welcomed in this regard the resumption of the PAP’s role in Election Observation Missions (EOMs), which are integral parts of representative democracy. The two Parliaments noted the convergence of their views on the need to promote and adhere to the relevant decisions of the AU in this regard and to continue to support the role of the relevant organs in charge of this topic, in adhering to the respective attributions of the PAP. They both underlined the need to constantly involve youths in developmental initiatives in order to address the continent’s challenges. The two parties agreed to hold regular consultations on the PAP’s institutional renewal process base on the founding values of the African Union of fairness, inclusiveness and unity, in the framework of the entrenchment of the principle of rotational leadership at all levels of parliamentary structures, including the president and the Vice-Presidents of the Bureau, regional caucuses and permanent committees, as well as regional balance regarding staff recruitment, the Declaration concluded.