The Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, Mr. Amos Masondo, is leading a multi-party delegation of Parliament to the 2nd Ordinary Session of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) to be held in Midrand from May 15 to June 2, 2023.
This second session of the PAP’s Sixth Parliament will be held under the African Union (AU) theme for 2023: “Accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).”
The PAP, as the AU parliamentary forum with a mandate to facilitate the implementation of its policies, objectives, and programmes, will use the session to discuss and come up with strategies that will fast-track the implementation of the AfCFTA by parliaments across the continent.
Several reports from the Sittings of the PAP Permanent Committees in March will be considered during the Session and these includes: the Report of the combined Workshop on Access to Information, Digital Rights with the Internet Governance Forum; Report on the proposal to develop a Model Law on Climate Change; Report of the Capacity Building Workshop on Labour Migration Governance and Administration; Report on the Place of Traditional Medicine in African Health Systems; Report on Joint Capacity Building on Ratification of AU Legal instruments; Report on First Partners’ engagement on Conceptual Framework of the Draught Model Law on Gender Parity; and the Report on the Draught Model Law on Cooperatives. The peace and security situation on the continent will also feature on the agenda of the plenary.
The session includes the two-day 3rd African Parliamentarians Summit on Climate Policy and Equity scheduled for the 16th to the 17th of May.
The Summit seeks to bring together various key stakeholders who will be responsible for facilitating broad support for pro-poor, just, equitable, locally led, and science-based decisions in nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to the development of an implementable, overall climate action plan. The high-level climate engagement will also identify a common African agenda in the Global Stock Take (GST) process and in the countdown to COP28 and the role parliamentarians can play.
Also scheduled during the session is a workshop for the national implementation of the “AfricaEducatesher” Campaign: legislation to ensure learning opportunities post-COVID for girls; a celebration of Africa Day; and a meeting with representatives from the European Parliament.
Chairperson Masondo leads the Parliament of RSA delegation to the PAP, which includes the Chief Whip of the Majority Party in the National Assembly, Ms. Penny Majodina, Dr. Mathole Motshekga from the African National Congress, Mr. Julius S. Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters, and Mr. Thembekile Majola from the Democratic Alliance