Campaign welcomes Pan-African Parliament's "pioneering role" in efforts for a UN Parliamentary Assembly

16. October 2017

Statement and meetings at the 5th ordinary session of the 4th Pan-African Parliament

PAP's President Roger Nkodo Dang receiving the UNPA Campaign's coordinator, Andreas Bummel

In a statement to a plenary session of the Pan-African Parliament on October 11 in Midrand, South Africa, the Secretary-General of the Campaign for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly, Andreas Bummel, welcomed the African Union body's "pioneering role" in the efforts for  a UN Parliamentary Assembly, in short UNPA.

"Almost exactly ten years ago, just six months after the campaign for a UNPA was launched, the Pan-African Parliament took on a pioneering role and adopted a resolution in support of a UN Parliamentary Assembly," Mr. Bummel said. He added that PAP rightfully pointed out in another resolution adopted in May last year that "a UN Parliamentary is necessary to establish democratic participation and representation of the world’s citizens in the UN."

The campaign's representative who was invited to attend the opening ceremony of PAP's 5th ordinary session stated that in his opinion, "citizens, parliaments, member states and the UN alike would benefit from a UNPA in many ways."

Mr. Bummel argued that as a formal connection between the UN and parliaments, a UNPA would be helpful to support implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. "On the other hand, UNPA would complement the High Level Political Forum in providing the necessary oversight and accountability, and help maintain global momentum in pursuit of the Agenda 2030," he said.

He recalled that last year PAP had called on the African Union and its member states to initiate an intergovernmental process at the UN for establishing a UNPA and emphasized that the UN's 75th anniversary in 2020 would be "a good opportunity to put reform proposals such as a UNPA onto the agenda." "Now it is the right time to start preparing the ground for 2020," he stated.

On the occassion of Mr. Bummel's visit to PAP, bilateral meetings were held with PAP's President, Roger Nkodo Dang, and the Chairperson of PAP's Committee on Cooperation, International Relations and Conflict Resolution, Victor Hlatshwayo, among others.

Top image: The President of the Pan-African Parliament responds to questions after presenting an activity report, October 10, 2017, by PAP

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