Accra: Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, Second Vice President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), has called for stronger partnerships to advance the institution's mandate and accelerate the implementation of the African Union's Agenda 2063.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr Agyeman-Rawlings emphasized the need for African institutions to engage in strategic, results-oriented collaboration to foster a more integrated, peaceful, and prosperous continent. She highlighted the importance of addressing shared development challenges through such partnerships.
Dr Agyeman-Rawlings made this appeal during the second day of the 26th Conference of Speakers of National and Regional Parliaments in Midrand, South Africa. She stated that Africa's development goals could only be achieved through enhanced parliamentary diplomacy, legislative harmonisation, and coordinated action among continental and regional bodies.
She urged African institutions to move past working in isolation and focus on partnerships that deliver measurable outcomes for citizens, identifying peace and security, economic integration, climate resilience, democratic governance, and gender equality as key areas needing collective parliamentary action.
Dr Agyeman-Rawlings also called on African Union Member States to expedite the ratification of the Malabo Protocol, which she described as a crucial step towards strengthening the legislative authority of the Pan-African Parliament. Empowering the continental Parliament to function fully within the African Union governance structure, she noted, would enhance regional integration and improve policy coordination across Africa.
The conference featured contributions from regional parliamentary bodies, including the ECOWAS Parliament, which reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening cooperation with the Pan-African Parliament. Participants underscored the necessity for closer collaboration among continental and regional parliamentary institutions to turn Africa's shared aspirations into tangible benefits for its citizens.
They noted that effective partnerships would strengthen legislative oversight, promote policy coherence, and support initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Agenda 2063. Speakers further emphasized that sustained dialogue and cooperation among African legislatures would reinforce democratic governance, regional stability, and inclusive development.
The Conference of Speakers of National and Regional Parliaments is part of the Pan-African Parliament's efforts to deepen parliamentary cooperation and advance the African Union's vision of 'The Africa We Want.'