The Executive Director of Parliamentary Network Africa (PNAfrica), Sammy Obeng, delivered an inspiring and thought-provoking speech at the 2nd Pan-African Parliament Civil Society Forum Dialogue held recently at the sidelines of the 3rd Session of the Sixth Parliament of the Pan-African Parliament in Midrand, South Africa.

The forum, which brought together civil society organizations, parliamentarians, and stakeholders from across the continent, aimed to foster collaboration and strengthen the role of civil society in parliamentary processes.

In his address as the Leader of the Network of African Parliamentary Monitoring Civil Society Organizations, Mr. Obeng emphasized the importance of transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement in parliamentary practices. He highlighted Civil society’s commitment to supporting parliaments in Africa and the Pan-African Parliament to become more open, inclusive, and effective in their oversight functions.

“Parliaments are the bedrock of democracy,” Mr. Obeng stated. “To truly serve the people, they must operate with the highest standards of transparency and accountability. It is through the active engagement of citizens and the collaborative efforts of civil society that we can ensure our parliaments remain responsive and effective.”

Mr. Obeng also underscored the need for continuous engagement Parliament and Civil Society Organizations and lauded the Pan-African Parliament for adopting the approach of a regular meeting with CSOs to enhance collaborations.

“We commend the Pan-African Parliament for this approach in engaging Civil Society Organizations across board. It is also to commend the Center for Human Rights and the Pan-African Parliament that this tangent is a very important tangent that certainly needs to be continued and we need to encourage ourselves that this happens consistently because the benefits of these engagements will be tremendous for all of us.”

The forum provided a platform for robust discussions on various challenges and opportunities facing African parliaments and civil society organizations. Participants shared best practices and innovative approaches to improving parliamentary oversight and governance.

Mr. Obeng’s speech was met with enthusiastic applause and sparked lively discussions among attendees. His insights and the overall dialogue at the forum are expected to contribute significantly to the ongoing efforts to strengthen parliamentary democracy across the continent.

PNAfrica continues to play a pivotal role in supporting parliaments and fostering meaningful engagement between lawmakers and the public. The organization remains committed to its mission of ensuring open Parliaments and enhancing transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in parliamentary processes.

Source: PAfrica Comms