DECISION ON THE REPORT ON THE INCIDENT ON THE PAN AFRICAN
PARLIAMENT (PAP) - Doc. (EX.CL/1294XXXIX)
The Executive Council,
1. TAKES NOTE of the report of the Chairperson of the Commission on the incidents of 27 May and 30 June 2021 that happened in the Pan-African Parliament during the election of the PAP Bureau;
2. RECALLS the letter by the Chairperson of the Commission, as the Legal Representative of the Union, that expressed concern over the incidents at PAP and recommended suspension of the PAP session and parliamentary activities in order to address the issues and conduct peaceful and credible election of the Bureau of the Organ;
3. EXPRESSES with concern the lack of decorum shown by parliamentarians and the physical as well as verbal violence that was shown during the deliberations and REJECTS the actions that have damaged the image of the Union within the Continent and beyond and CALLS on all Parliamentarians and the Secretariat to project the best images of the Union;
4. RECALLS Executive Council Decision EX.CL/Dec.979(XXXI) adopted in June 2017, inter alia, called upon the Pan-African Parliament, “to apply the African Union values, rules, and regulations in managing all activities of the organ, including rotation of the Bureau and presidency...”. FURTHER RECALLS Executive Council Decision EX.CL/Dec.1018(XXXII) adopted in June 2018, where it requested, “the PAP to comply with the principle of geographical rotation among the five regions of the Africa in future elections of the Bureau”;
5. REAFFIRMS its previous decisions affirming the principle of rotation as enshrined in the PAP Protocol, previous resolutions of the PAP and as established practices of the Union, and INSTRUCTS that the elections should be in line with the principle of rotation and only regions that have not previously held the position are eligible to present candidates for election of the PAP President through their Regional Caucuses;
6. DECIDES that the upcoming elections of PAP should be held at its Headquarters in Midrand, South Africa, as per its Protocol, as soon as possible and that the next ordinary session of PAP should be dedicated to the election of the PAP Bureau Members to allow for the smooth running of the Organ;
7. DIRECTS the OLC to conduct and manage the upcoming PAP elections process and elaborate the elections modalities in accordance with the Rules, Regulations and established practice of the Union as well as relevant decisions of the Executive Council on the principle of rotation;
8. NOTING the disagreement and conflict seen during the last election proceedings and to allow regions that are eligible to occupy the Positions of the PAP President to present their candidates, the nomination for the post of the other Bureau members should also be reopened and all candidates including the president must be submitted to OLC through respective eligible Regional Caucuses;
9. REQUESTS the Chairperson of the Commission and the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security to attend the upcoming election of the PAP Bureau
10. RECALLS Assembly Decision Assembly/AU/Dec.757(XXXIII) of February 2020 that directed OLC to examine and align legal instruments and rules of procedure of AU Organs and requests OLC to review the Rules of Procedure of the PAP and report back to Executive Council by July 2022;
11. REQUESTS the Commission to expedite the reform process of PAP to create a conducive environment for the operation of the Organ;
12. FURTHER REQUESTS the Commission to undertake necessary corrective measures to address the irregularities that the current report highlights, as well as that of the Audit report, and report to the Executive Council in July 2022;
13. DIRECTS the Commission to undertake a full investigation on the incidents of 27 May and 30 June 2021 that happened in the Pan-African Parliament during the election of PAP Bureau and identify responsible individuals and propose measures to be taken for the consideration of the Executive Council in January 2022:
14. FURTHER DIRECTS the PRC to hold a retreat with the PAP to address all the concerns and challenges that affect the delivery and operations of the Organ and report to the Executive Council session in February 2022;
15. AUTHORIZES the Commission to present the necessary budget to conduct the election of the PAP bureau to be considered by the PRC Sub-Committee on General Supervision and Coordination on Budgetary, Financial and Administrative Matters bearing in mind the importance and urgency of the matter;
16. CALLS UPON Member States that have not done so to sign and ratify the Protocol to the Constitutive Act of the African Union relating to the Pan-African Parliament adopted in 2014;
17. DECIDES that in consideration of urgency of the matter, this decision shall be implemented with immediate effect.