ADDRESS BY H.E. MR. JOHN AGYEKUM KUFUOR, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF GHANA AND CHAIRMAN OF THE AFRICAN UNION AT THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE SEVENTH ORDINARY SESSION OF THE PAN-AFRICAN PARLIAMENT, GALLAGHER ESTATE, MIDRAND, SOUTH AFRICA 7TH MAY, 2007

My brother, President Thabo Mbeki,
The Speaker, Madam Getrude Mongela,
Honourable Members of the Pan African Parliament,
Your Excellencies, Ambassadors and High Commissioners,
Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is indeed, a great pleasure and an honour for me to address this august House at the opening of its Seventh Ordinary Session.

I bring you greetings from your brothers and Sisters in Ghana who are this year marking the Golden Jubilee of Independence from colonial rule.

As you would recall, Ghana’s Independence opened the floodgates for the continent’s liberation during the first half of the 1960s. In a year or two, therefore, many African countries will also celebrate the 50th milestone which has become acknowledged almost universally as an important landmark for stock-taking.

This anniversary should enable us reset our targets into the next half century, taking account of the rapidly changing world in whose mainstream our continent must be.

Madam Speaker, 50 years ago, Africa had a vision. It was a clear vision of Independence in an environment of peace and prosperity.

Pooling together and using the OAU as a medium, the continent succeeded in liberating itself fully from colonialism and apartheid.

But post colonial Africa has not been entirely as envisioned. The continent has been plagued over the period in almost all its different regions by conflicts, wars, diseases, illiteracy and poverty, at one spot or the other.

Happily, but for a few turbulent spots, the continent is now managing to rid itself of some of these drawbacks. In Burundi, there has been peaceful and democratic conclusion of the transitional process. Angola, Liberia, Mozambique and Sierra-Leone are no longer at war. For the first time in 40 years, democratic elections have been held in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The problems in the Darfur region of Sudan and Somalia persist in spite of the initiatives that the African Union has been making within its limited resources to help restore peace and normalcy. My dear brothers and sisters, this unfortunate situation exposes the limitations of the Unions’ current condition.

Madam Speaker, internally, as much as we all value the principle of sovereignty and integrity, Africa of today should play the vanguard role in respecting and upholding human rights within the continent generally, and more so within the component states of the Union. The Constitutive Act of the Union, as well as the tenets of NEPAD, recognizes these principles as necessary conditions for the up-liftment of the continent’s image.

We have to regret situation within some sister nations where domestic policies are or seem to be at variance with these principles.

Madam Speaker, economic prosperity has not always followed automatically in the wake of Independence. Today, 35 of the 50 poorest countries in the world can be found in Africa. Further, as I have already intimated, poverty, illiteracy, hunger and disease are rife in parts of the continent. For many African, the Independence vision of peace and prosperity still remains an illusion.

Madam Speaker, as Africa approached 50 years of post colonialism it became obvious that liberation per se did not automatically mean the achievement of prosperity, peace and security for the people of the continent.

Fortunately, Madam Speaker, in response to this challenge, the current crop of leaders has re-committed the continent to the pursuit of economic emancipation and integration of Africa.

This is evidenced by the transformation since June 2002, of the erstwhile OAU into the African Union (the AU), which is being empowered with laws and robust institutions to enable it to drive the continent’s agenda in overcoming the challenge.

A giant step in this direction was the establishment of the Pan African Parliament in March, 2004. It is expected that ultimately, this continental parliament will provide a common platform for the people of Africa and their grassroot organization, where they will discuss problems and challenges besetting Africa, and take decisions that will address them for the benefit of all her people.

President Thabo Mbeki expressed this expectation succinctly at the inauguration of the Parliament when he said “the Pan-African Parliament will create a new space for us, as Africans to forge a collective identity and to act together in our interest, both within and between our countries, as well as in many important global engagement with other regions and the rest of the world.”

Similarly, Prof. Alpha Oumar Konare observed that the Pan-African Parliament has a “Vital role to play in the implementation of the objectives and principles enshrined in the Constitutive Act of the Union, particularly with regard to the protection of human rights, consolidation of democratic institutions, as well as popularisation and promotion of good governance”.

I must also add that the Pan African Parliament must see it as a duty to advance the socio-economic development and transformation of the continent.

Madam Speaker, the importance of good governance for sustainable development cannot be over-emphasized. Hence, the Union’s establishment of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) as its flagship programme for implementing political and economic reforms. NEPAD in turn has fashioned the Africa Peer Review Mechanism to be subscribed voluntarily by member states. This is to give guidance and encouragement to member states to move towards the realization of the objectives of NEPAD within their respective policies.

With the adoption of NEPAD, and as peace increasingly spreads within the continent, many governments are now enabled to focus on economic development.

Today, most African economies are better run; inflation is at a historic low in many countries, averaging 8% per annum; while 27 African countries are projected to grow more than 5% in terms of GDP this year. The past 5 years have also witnessed a more than 200% increase in direct investment inflows. Exports are rising and significant advances are being recorded in debt relief.

To sustain these developments, there must be continued peace as well as improvements in the law and order situation all over the continent. The African Union has seen it fit to put a Pan African Parliament together. The Pan African Parliament is to create a mechanism for the realization of the vision of our united continent. The founding fathers of the African Union designed the creation of this parliament which I am privileged and honoured to address today.

Madam Speaker, we all know the purposes of Parliaments.

1. To be the focus for the people it represents.
2. To enable them participate in their governance.
3. To empower them to demand transparency and accountability of their government, this is the essence of the practice of good governance.

Parliament is also to be in truest sense, the highest court for the observation of human rights, the dispensation of social justice; it provides the highest mechanism for the deepening of Pan African awareness, and a sense of shared destiny for the evolution of a “true union of Africa”.

Madam Speaker, these are daunting responsibilities that the Constitutive Act of the African Union has bestowed upon this House, especially when it is in an evolutionary state, and many key issues concerning its full powers are yet to be decided. But the House is not bereft of capacity. The work of honourable members in terms of the resolution of pertinent issues gives cause for confidence that in time, this House will make Africa proud.

With regard to the problem of budgetary constraints which undermines your effectiveness as an institution, let me assure honourable members that the Assembly of the Union is committed to making funds available for your work. In the mean time, I commend the House for improving the auditing processes in order to promote greater accountability in its operational conduct.

Madam Speaker, Ghana is happy and indeed very excited that on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee, the next ordinary Summit of the AU will be held in Accra. The main theme of the Accra Summit, as decided in Addis Ababa, will be the direction of the African Union Government particularly what form it should take.

A decision on such a major issue should be taken only after the widest consultations. I am therefore happy to see it listed on your agenda for deliberation this session.

The composition of the commission of the Union will also be discussed at the Summit. The four year mandate of its chairperson ends in July. For mal election of members of the Commission will be concluded in Accra where a replacement will be found in Professor Alphar Konare who has declared his intention not to seek re-election.

Madam Speaker, your forum here should feel it part of its remit to make contributions to the deliberations of the Accra Summit. After all this Parliament should see itself as representing the rank and file of all Africans, and must therefore influence the course of change on the continent for the better.

Madam Speaker, great and mighty things sometimes have small beginnings. This House should always deliberate being fully aware of the might of the continent which it represents. This awareness should equip you with the knowledge of your continent’s position in the geo-politics of our times and thereby imbue you with the vision of Africa’s place in the on-rushing global village.

Your work must be driven by our people’s desire for economic emancipation, sustained peace, stability and integration of the continent. The House must therefore ably and competently bear all these responsibilities despite the teething problems confronting it currently.

May I conclude, Madam Speaker, Honourable Members, Ladies and Gentlemen, with special thanks to His Excellency President Thabo Mbeki and the government and good people of South Africa for graciously accepting to host Africa’s first Parliament, and for their hospitality to all of us.

Madam Speaker, I am grateful for this opportunity to address the 7th session of this august House.

Thank you may God bless you all and Long live Africa.

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