Online Reporter
Zvamaida Murwira in Malabo Equatorial Guinea
THE African Union Executive Council has allocated a special budget of US$650 000 to the Pan African Parliament, paving way for the successful convening of the 5th Ordinary Session of the continental legislative assembly due to start next week.
PAP is a continental legislative assembly led by Deputy President of Zimbabwe Council of Chiefs, Fortune Charumbira as its president
President Mnangagwa was in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea at the weekend together with other Heads of State and Government where they considered several reports including AU funding model and endorsed the PAP budget.
The money will also cover other critical operational expenses meant to enhance its activities.
The budget was approved during the 47th session of the AU Executive Council comprising Ministers of Foreign Affairs, African Union Commission, Regional Economic Communities and other stakeholders.
In a statement, PAP confirmed the budget saying it was borne out of lobbying by several stakeholders including the Bureau led by President of the continental legislative assembly, Chief Fortune Charumbira.
“At its Forty Seventh Extraordinary session held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, on the 10th and 11th July 2025, the Executive Council endorsed the proposal by the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) to allocate a special budget of US$650 000 to the continental legislature to cover urgent operational requirements including, the 5th Ordinary Session scheduled for 21st July to 1st August in Midrand, South Africa, participation by the PAP in AU activities, Bureau Meetings and Rotational duties and interpretation costs, among others,” read the statement.
“The approval of the Special Budget Allocation follows concerted lobbying efforts by the Bureau of the Pan African Parliament led by its President, Chief Fortune Zephania Charumbira. In the lobbying engagements, Chief Charumbira underscored that the operational effectiveness of the Pan African Parliament continues to be hamstrung by inadequate resources as a result of the continued allocation of a COVID-era budget to the Parliament.”
It was noted that the budget of PAP was significantly reduced in 2019 during the Covid 19 pandemic to less than a third of requirements on the basis that the Parliament would only be convening virtual meetings due to the restrictions imposed on physical meetings by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The PAP returned to full operational functionality on June 29 2022, but the annual budget allocation has not been adjusted to reflect this reality and has essentially remained a “lockdown budget”.
“This has paralysed the operations of the Parliament, including the functionality of oversight Committees which are the engine room of Parliamentary functions,” read the statement.
PAP noted that the budget, though inadequate to cover the PAP’s requirements, was a welcome development which will go a long way towards mitigating financial challenges.
