West African region
The Members of the PAP in West Africa, met from 4 to 6 December 2012 at Rivers State House of Assembly, Port Harcourt, Nigeria, for a Regional Parliamentary meeting to discuss the African Governance Platform and the promotion of AU legal instruments.
The participants were made aware of the progress that had taken place on the ratification of AU legal instruments and enforcement of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.
The meeting highlighted the necessity to intensify efforts to have all Member States sign, ratify, domesticate and implement the AU legal instruments on governance.
The meeting also expressed concern at the levels of corruption and the need to conserve and mobilise resources to achieve the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals and the eradication of poverty.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Regional Parliament of West Africa resolved, among other things, that Members of the PAP in the West African region should champion the need to sign, ratify and implement AU legal instruments; work closely with anticorruption organisations to track efforts towards curbing corruption; develop an Asset Declaration Model Law; and support the Anti-Corruption Convention.
East African region
A Regional Parliamentary meeting for the East African zone was held on 19 to 21 November 2014 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to discuss the African Governance Platform and the promotion of AU legal instruments.
It called upon Members of the PAP, National Legislatures within the Eastern African region, Members of the Regional Parliament and civil society to debate and discuss the modalities to employ in sensitising the regional governments and legislatures to ratify and domesticate the AU legal instruments.
Peace and security are critical for the socio-economic development of any country
Previously, the PAP did not have legislative powers but the AU summit in Malabo in June 2014 gave this power to them. The Parliament so far is still in its infancy, as the Protocol creating the PAP has to go through a process of ratification before it can start exercising these legislative powers. At the meeting, concerns were expressed at the slow pace of ratification, domestication and implementation of AU legal instruments, and it was recommended that the PAP should play the leading role in advocating for the ratification, domestication and implementation of AU legal instruments.
With regard to the issue of peace and security in the region, these are critical for the socio-economic development and progress of any country, and AU Members States should support the Regional Standby Force and Early Warning System. National Governments should confront issues of terrorism together and carry out joint action against terrorism.
Also, the AU should curtail the proliferation of illegal arms and encourage National Governments to ratify the Arms Trade Treaty.
