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The Pan-African Parliament (PAP), the legislative arm of the African Union (AU), has concluded a high-level consultative workshop in Midrand, South Africa, aimed at reviewing and updating its Rules of Procedure. The workshop ran from 1 to 4 July 2025.
Participants included members of the Committee on Rules, Privileges and Discipline, officials from the PAP Secretariat, and representatives from the AU Office of the Legal Counsel (OLC). The gathering focused on critically assessing proposed amendments to the institution’s core governing framework.
Opening the workshop, PAP President H.E. Chief Fortune Charumbira emphasized the significance of the exercise as a moment for unity, consensus-building, and institutional integrity.
“The Rules of Procedure are central to the effective functioning of PAP and provide the framework for its operations, structure, and internal governance,” he noted.
The current Rules of Procedure were first adopted in 2004 and last amended in 2011. While they have been reviewed periodically to keep pace with evolving AU norms, recent challenges—including disruptions at the June 2021 Plenary session and subsequent AU Executive Council directives—have underscored the need for a thorough overhaul.
The AU Executive Council has mandated that the PAP’s Rules of Procedure be brought fully into line with the Union’s values, principles, and legal instruments. To support this process, the AU Office of the Legal Counsel has collaborated closely with PAP to develop proposed revisions.
During the four-day workshop, chaired by Hon. Steve Mikaya, Chairperson of the Committee on Rules, Privileges and Discipline, participants:
– Reviewed the amendments drafted by the OLC in accordance with AU Executive Council decisions;
– Identified existing gaps and opportunities for improvement in the current Rules;
– Consolidated PAP and OLC proposals into a single revised text; and
– Worked to build consensus on a final draft to be submitted to the PAP Bureau and subsequently to the AU Executive Council for approval.
This review process is both technical and political, requiring detailed, article-by-article analysis, broad stakeholder consultation, and in-depth plenary discussions. The aim is to produce a harmonized, modernized set of Rules of Procedure that reflect the institution’s experiences over the past decade, uphold AU values, and enable a more effective and accountable Pan-African Parliament.
The Midrand workshop builds on initial consultations held in Nairobi, Kenya, in December 2024, underscoring the Parliament’s ongoing commitment to good governance, democratic principles, and the shared aspirations of the African people.
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