Peace and security, integration of the Continent, unconstitutional changes of government and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) were the issues that featured prominently on the Agenda for the First Ordinary Session of the Sixth Parliament of the Pan African Parliament.

This is according to a Report of the Representatives from the Parliament of Ghana to the Pan-African Parliament on the Ordinary Session held from Monday, October 24th to Friday, November 11th 2022, in Midrand, South Africa under the theme, “Building Resilience in Nutrition on the African Continent: Accelerate the Human Capital, Social and Economic Development”.

The Report which was signed by the Head of the Delegation to the PAP, Hon. Joseph Osei Owusu and the scheduled Officer – Acting Deputy Clerk, Mr. Eric Owusu, was presented at plenary to the Parliament of Ghana just before it left for recess at the end of March, 2023.

It indicated that the House was unanimous that the growth of the continent would depend on the level of peace and security environment available and therefore called on the African Union to work towards ending the several ongoing conflicts in Africa.

“The House also acknowledged that, Africa could progress only when elements of true democracy are adhered to by the people of Africa. The House therefore called on countries that had not ratified the Charter on Democratic Elections and Governance to do so.

“The ratification of the Charter and adherence to the principles expressed by the Charter would be expected to curtail the unconstitutional changes of government in Africa,” the report said.

It reported on the 18 resolutions which were adopted by the House which were enumerated as the following: 1. Congratulations to the Federal Republic of Ethiopia and Tigray People’s Liberation Front on the signing of the Peace Agreement; 2. Solidarity and support to the Government and the People of the Republic of Mozambique in resolving the conflict; 3. Support for the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline Project; 4. Lifting of unilateral economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwean Government by the United States, United Kingdom and the European Union.

The others include: 5. Immediate end to the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC); 6. Ratification and implementation of the Additional Protocol to the African Charter on Human And Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol); 7. Advancement of democratic governance through the implementation of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG) and enhanced citizen engagement; 8. Effective operations of the African Continental Free Trade Area; 9. Formulation of model law on food and nutrition security in Africa; and 10. Formulation of model law on policing for Africa.

The rest of the resolutions adopted by the PAP are: 11. Elimination of harmful practices related to accusations of witchcraft and ritual attacks; 12. Promotion of ratification of the Protocol on Persons with Disability and the Protocol on Older Persons; 13. Formulation of model law on labour migration in Africa; 14. Formulation of model law on Gender Parity in Africa; 15. Promotion of African Union Ten-Year Action Plan to Eradicate Child Labour, Forced Labour, Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery (2020-2030); 16. Formulation of model law on statelessness; 17. Formulation of model law on cooperatives in Africa; and 18. Formulation of model law on factoring in Africa.

The Members of Ghana’s Parliamentary Delegation to the Pan-African Parliament include: Hon. Joseph Osei Owusu, First Deputy Speaker and Leader of the Delegation; Hon. Frank Annor Dompreh, Majority Chief Whip; Hon. Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, Minority Chief Whip; Hon. Collins Dauda, Member; and Hon. Ophelia Mensah, Member.

Source: APPN Comms

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