Online Reporter
George Maponga in MIDRAND, South Africa
THE Pan African Parliament (PAP) will, over the next two weeks, discuss issues that are blighting Africa as the continental legislature seeks to usher in a new dawn for the continent’s citizenry.
The continental legislature is currently sitting for the 5th ordinary session of the 6th parliament of PAP at its headquarters in Midrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
The session will be officially opened today at a ceremony that will also be graced by the South Africa’s International Relations and Co-operation Deputy Minister Thandi Moraka, while solidarity messages will also be made by guests including the dean of African Ambassadors in South Africa, the chair of the African Union’s Permanent Representatives Committee and the Ambassador of Palestine, among others.
PAP president Chief Fortune Charumbira will also deliver an opening address during the opening ceremony.
Outlining some of the issues that will dominate the current session, Chief Charumbira revealed that the continental legislature will be seized with issues that seek to chart a new path for the African continent.
PAP wanted a new pivot for Africa that located the continent’s citizenry at the centre of the continental development matrix while ending the scourge of wars and conflict that affects around 123 million people in sub-Saharan Africa.
According to Chief Charumbira, the issue of reparations for African states and people of African descent for past colonial injustices will loom large during the current session.
“We have a number of issues that are affecting the continent that we will discuss as per the programme that we have deliberated on to guide our discussions over the next two weeks,” he stated.
Representatives from key blocs such as ECOWAS, the EU, among others were also expected in Midrand to add impetus to PAP’s vision for a better and prosperous Africa.
“As you know, every year we have a theme, we are guided by the AU theme and this year the theme is to do with reparations for injustices, colonial injustices in Africa, because the continent lost a lot,” Chief Charumbira said.
