‘Pan-African Parliament a common platform for African people’

Hon. Fatou Mbye was presenting a report on the proceedings of the 6th Annual Conference of Speakers of African Parliaments and Clerks/Secretaries General Annual Consultative Dialogue held in August 2014.

Mrs Isatou S. Conteh, senior editor of the Hansard Unit, accompanied Deputy Speaker, Hon. Fatou Mbye, to the conference.

She told deputies that the establishment of the Pan-African Parliament was informed by a vision to provide a common platform for African peoples and their grassroots organizations, to be more involved in discussions and decision-making on the problems and challenges facing the continent.

Deputy Speaker Mbye told National Assembly Members that the report is in two parts, the first part being the report on the proceedings of the 6th Annual Conference of Speakers of African Parliaments and the second part reported on the 2014 Annual Clerks/ Secretaries General Consultative Dialogue.

She said Bethel NNAEMEKA AMADI, President of the Pan-African Parliament, expressed feelings of humility and honour to open the 6th Annual Conference of Speakers, and paid special tribute to the former President of Mauritius and a member of the forum for former African heads of state.

This year‘s conference coincided with the 10th year anniversary of the Pan-African Parliament.

The 10 years were characterized by challenges, significant progress and a road map for the future of the PAP, she said, adding that these activities and experiences culminated in the transformation of the Pan-African Parliament, from an advisory body to be a legislative body with full legislative and oversight powers mandated to draft model laws.

Meanwhile, members of the National Assembly Monday adopted the report on the proceedings of the 6th Annual conference of Speakers of African Parliaments.