Global Issues
POLITICS-AFRICA: When Will the Pan-African Parliament Come of Age?
It will remain difficult for Africa to address the effects of the global financial crisis or tackle other problems the continent faces as long as African countries try to go it alone.
'The progress on the African unification project has been frustratingly slow,' Ghana's vice president, John Mahama told members of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) at the opening of its 11th Ordinary Session in Midrand, South Africa.
'We have parochially clung to our little flags and national anthems without seeing the advantages a more united Africa offers us. All that Africans want is a continent where they can hold up their heads with dignity and pride as Africans.'
The PAP was inaugurated in 2004 as one of the organs of the African Union, but its activities since then have often gone unnoticed. Governments have not been supportive to PAP because of suspicions that it would put in place stricter measures of accountability compared to those of national parliaments.
The institution’s leaders say its activities and visibility have been affected by lack of resources.
'Among the key challenges are resource (finance, human and technical) mobilisation and capacity building for the needs of the PAP,' said PAP President Gertrude Mongella in her opening address.
'Sometimes these imperfections tend to eclipse or even ridicule the many successes we have achieved. The good thing however is that all of us are aware of these shortcomings and are also aware of the efforts being made to resolve them.'
The financial challenges facing the parliament worsened recently when the AU halved its budget. As a result, PAP was unable to send observer missions to recent elections in South Africa and Algeria.
Uppermost on the agenda of the session which will run until May 29, is debate on the Protocol establishing the PAP and the global financial crisis, which continues to hit the developing world hard. Adoption of the protocol is expected to make the organ more visible.
The parliamentarians will during the course of the session also debate on how increased continental integration can strengthen efforts to tackle challenges such as the holding of free and fair elections in the continent, or stem the migration of skilled people and youth from the continent in search for greener pastures.
Mongella said there was a need for a shared vision and collaboration in order to steer the continent forward.
'While debating on these important items, we are aware of the ongoing transformation processes of the ongoing African Union Commission to an Authority. Since this organ coordinates all other organs (of the AU), we think its transformation will influence some changes on other changes as well,' said Mongella.
With reference to the forthcoming debate on weathering the global financial crisis, Mahama identified agriculture as a possible way out for the continent. He said billions of dollars were being spent on food imports annually, yet that money could be saved IF countries step up their farming activities.
'The food crisis must reveal to us that the abandoned and long-suffering African farmer must become a focus of our attention. We must assist our farmers to modernise and increase productivity in order to be able to feed us,' added Mahama.
© Inter Press Service (2009) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service