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African unity becomes reality
18/03/2004 13:36 - (SA)
Mandy Rossouw
Addis Ababa - The long struggle to realise the ideal of African unity might finally come to an end.
A total of 375 African members of parliament are being invested as members of PAP on Thursday, marking the launch of a new structure of the African Union (AU) intended to bring the organisation closer to ordinary people.
Those who advocate PAP claim the new organisation will "solve African problems in the African way".
More than 800 guests from all over the world are to attend the opening ceremony. Speakers of European parliaments and China were invited as well as well-known Africans like former president Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia.
Parliamentarians are to be inducted by Mozambican president and AU chairperson Joaquim Chissano in the AU's four official languages - English, Arabic, Portuguese and French.
The event has sparked huge interest and the modern glass building, inaugurated as AU headquarters last year, was too small to accommodate everyone. The United Nations (UN) Economic Commission for Africa building was used instead.
DA lodges a complaint
PAP is one of two AU structures to be launched within a week here. The peace and security council to be announced officially on Africa Day on May 25, held its first meeting on Tuesday.
PAP members represent 35 African countries who have approved the protocol and delegated five members of their national parliament. Members' terms expire when they fail to be re-elected to their national parliaments.
Each representative should reflect the "political diversity" of their own country's parliament and at least one member should be a woman.
The South African delegation is represented by Dr Frene Ginwala, Speaker of parliament, Dr Boy Geldenhuys, NNP MP, Prof Harriet Ngubane IFP MP, Makhosazana Njobe and Mninwa Mahlangu of the ANC.
"South Africa is likely to benefit from the influence of French, Portuguese and Muslim parliaments. It will help us to better understand diversity, an issue we grapple with ourselves,"Ginwala said.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) had complained earlier that their party is not represented. Ginwala says an election process was followed and DA members who were nominated were not elected.
The DA has lodged a complaint with the AU commission stating that the South African delegation does not comply with the criterium of "political diversity".
Financial issues highlighted
PAP intends to involve more people and representatives in the AU than only heads of state and foreign affairs ministers who are currently involved.
"It provides an opportunity to hear the voices of those groups who are not members of government," Ginwala says.
A committee is to be elected during the opening session. The budget committee is tasked with presenting a PAP budget for approval at the leaders' summit in July. Ginwala maintains it is a priority since the AU has borne all logistical organisation costs to date, while member countries are required to pick up the tab for their own representatives to Addis Ababa.
Delegates are sponsored by their own governments for the first session.
The new PAP headquarters, where the next PAP meeting is to be held later this year, will be decided at the leaders' summit.
The steering committee is tasked with setting up requirements for running parliament. A committee has also been set up to monitor delegations, ensuring that they meet protocol requirements.
Nominations for PAP chairperson and vice chairperson.
were discussed at regional meetings held on Wednesday. In the Southern African region the Tanzania delegation submitted a nomination for the office of chairperson. Nominations for vice chairperson are to be submitted by the Angolan delegation.
PAP will have no legislative powers for at least the next five years. Ginwala notes it is no foregone conclusion the organisation would have the power to pass legislation even after that period.
"Only in instances where countries forfeit their sovereignty and hand over decision making to the AU, would PAP be in a position to exercise its legislative power."
Former president Alpha Omar Konaré of Mali and AU commission chairperson, claims countries have already forfeited their sovereignty in agreeing to a mutual defence policy.
"That had been a victory for African solidarity," Konaré said on Tuesday.
'Foreign aid unnecessary'
Institute for Security Studies director Dr Jakkie Cilliers says PAP is likely to boost the African peer review initiative since it provides the opportunity for countries to influence and encourage each other to follow democratic principles.
Under the PAP protocol human rights and democratic principles are to be promoted in Africa with transparency and accountability being priorities. Development on the continent and solidarity among member countries are also to be promoted.
Zimbabwean parliament Speaker Emmerson Mngangagwa was excited on Wednesday over PAP's role in development in Africa.
"It is proof that Africa is capable of solving its own problems and that is why PAP is an important advancement for the AU. It shows we don't need foreign aid," he said.
Mnangagwa maintains Zimbabwe has much to learn from other African countries. "South Africa, for instance, is a junior partner in African development, but Zimbabwe can still learn about certain aspects of democracy from that country."
A member of Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is part of their delegation and hopes they "manage to co-operate well".
Mnangagwa says democracy is threatened in Zimbabwe by "violence fanned from outside the country" and a severely weakened economy. "That is why we (as African countries) should unite and help each other to show the world that Africa need not necessarily be the black sheep."
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