The Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation yesterday, had approved two important international agreements for ratification.
 
The Protocol to the Constitutive Act of the African Union (AU) relating to the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) provides that it shall be the legislative organ of the AU, which may propose draft model laws. The establishment of the PAP is aimed at ensuring full participation of the African people in the development and economic integration of the African continent.
 
The 2014 protocol provides that at least two of the five elected members by each member state shall be women, as against the current arrangement which provides that at least one shall be a woman. Furthermore, a delegation which does not satisfy this requirement shall not have the right of accreditation for representation in the PAP.
 
It was noted that the protocol provides that the seat of the PAP shall be located in the Republic of South Africa, also that the PAP may convene in the territory of any member state at the invitation by that member state. 
 
Importantly, that the bureau of the PAP shall be elected on a rotational basis among all the five regions of the AU. The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Supra Mahumapelo, said that the issue of one region being on the bureau for a long time would not arise as it will be addressed through rotation.
 
The India -Brazil -South Africa (IBSA) Fund Agreement,  is an initiative at the level of Heads of State created in 2004 as a pioneering effort by the three emerging market economies in order to promote South-South Cooperation. Capitalisation for the Fund is derived from annual contributions of USD$1 million made by each of the three IBSA member states.
 
“Initiatives supported by the Fund are concrete expressions of solidarity and substantive manifestations of South-South Cooperation,” said Mr Mahumapelo. 
 
Mr Mahumapelo concluded by pointing out that the discussions on the two international agreements are significant for deepening Pan Africanism and re-asserting South Africa’s commitment in furthering the aspirations of South-South Cooperation.

Issued by the Chairperson of The Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation, Supra Mahumapelo