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Pan African parly proposed
06/11/2000 05:44 - (SA)
Johannesburg - The envisaged Pan African Parliament was an important instrument
for the continent to address its problems, Organisation of African
Unity secretary-general Salim Ahmed Salim said on Sunday.
"Through the PAP, we hope to involve ordinary Africans in the
affairs of the proposed Union of African States," he said on the
SABC's Newsmaker programme.
Salim said ordinary Africans had to date not been involved in the
affairs of their countries. He said leaders had failed to inform
them about important decisions taken.
Salim is in South Africa to attend a gathering aimed at paving the
way for the establishment of a PAP.
The meeting will focus on the legalities and protocols of setting
up the parliament. The impact of the PAP on the parliaments of
sovereign African nations will also come under the spotlight.
More than 200 people are expected to attend the assembly.
Salim also spoke about the process of setting up the African Union,
an organisation that would replace the current OAU.
Thirty-one countries had already signed protocols making it
possible for the establishment of the union, and Salim said he was
hopeful that two-thirds of the 54-member organisation would have
signed the protocols by December.
The next step would be for countries to ratify the protocol.
Salim said: "We have been trying to impress upon the membership of
the organisation to speed up the ratification process. Only when
two-thirds of our members have ratified can we launch (the Union).
The secretary-general said he hoped the union would decisively deal
with Africa's socio-economic and political problems.
- Sapa
- SAPA
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