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New Initiative From Africa
The Pan-African Parliament is the permanent advisory body of the African Union. It has five members from each of the 53 A.U. states. Last October it met in Midrand, South Africa. It discussed and approved a resolution introduced by Mokshanand Dowarkasing of Mauritius supporting a U.N. Parliamentary Assembly. The resolution was simple and powerful. The P.A.P. “Considers that ‘if democratization is a major means to legitimize and improve national governance, it is also the most reliable way to legitimize and improve international organisation, making it more open and responsive by increasing participation;’ “Notes that ‘in contrast to regional international bodies such as the African Union, the European Union, the Council of Europe, or Mercosur, the United Nations and its specialized organisations is one of the last international forums lacking an integrated and institutionalized Parliamentary Assembly;’ “Recommends that the Pan-African Parliament take the initiative to achieve the establishment of a consultative United Nations Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA) within the UN system according to Article 22 of the Charter of the United Nations which enables the UN General Assembly to establish subsidiary bodies;’ “Notes that in a first preliminary step the United Nations Parliamentary Assembly ‘could be composed of national parliamentarians, but that eventually it should be directly elected by universal adult suffrage in the UN members states...”! Parliamentarians generally are too frightened to support ideas which could involve pooling their precious national sovereignty. The European Parliament has led the way. Now Africa is showing courage. Gordon Brown should realise ‘ex Africa semper nova’.
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