http://www.blackelectorate.com/print_article.asp?ID=1000
>Pan-African Parliament Aims To Bring In Grassroots
>
>
>Africa is about to establish its first ever pan-African parliament.
>Within 30 days a single pan-African parliament is due to come into
>force.
>
>But while the African Union (AU) hails the move, it admits there is a
>lot of work to be done before the newly established parliament is up and
>running.
>
>"This is an extremely important step for us," AU spokesman Desmond
>Orjiako told IRIN. "It will enable all persons to have a forum where
>they can air their views.
>
>"This is the first body to be set up and allow them to make an input
>into how they are governed," he said from the AU headquarters in Addis
>Ababa.
>
>KEY GOVERNANCE BODY
>
>As yet the parliament - which will have five members from each country -
>has still to find a home. Libya, Egypt and South Africa are all vying to
>host it. A decision is expected to be made early next year.
>
>The parliament - which is based on the European parliament - will also
>become a key governance body of the AU and play a critical role in
>shaping the future of the continent.
>
>It will also play an important role in the controversial "peer review"
>system, whereby African leaders hold each other accountable for their
>leadership.
>
>But AU officials say they are keen to avoid the pitfalls that have often
>beset the European parliament by the differing opinions of national
>parliaments.
>
>"The pan-African parliament will be a full legislative body," Orjiako
>said. "Each member state will elect its representatives based on
>elections in each country."
>
>"But it will only have consultative and advisory powers for the first
>five years," he added. "It will not be able to make laws in the first
>five years.
>
>"We are trying to avoid the problems faced by similar parliaments by
>having this five year experimental period."
>
>The representation of each member state must also reflect the diversity
>of political opinions in each national parliament, he said.
>
>The pan-African parliament will work in close cooperation with the
>parliaments of the regional economic communities and the national
>parliaments of member states.
>
>It will hold annual consultative forums with these economic communities
>and national parliaments to discuss matters of common interest, Orjiako
>said.
>
>GRASSROOTS INVOLVEMENT
>
>The AU is keen to ensure that the parliament is not a toothless body -
>reminiscent of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was
>finally dissolved last year.
>
>"It will eventually make laws and coordinate laws for the whole
>continent and its decisions will override national parliaments," Orjiako
>explained. "You will have to abide by its laws."
>
>At its heart, according to the AU, is ensuring "grassroots" involvement
>by ordinary Africans in the laws that affect their future.
>
>There are 10 key bodies that make up the AU, of which the parliament is
>one of the most crucial. A Peace and Security Council will be able to
>intervene to prevent crimes against humanity in African countries. And a
>Court of Justice will have jurisdiction over member states, while a
>Central Bank will coordinate a single African economic policy.
>
>Lack of financial resources has often been at the root of the many
>problems faced by the defunct OAU, but Orjiako played down fiscal
>hurdles.
>
>By its sheer size - some 30 million sq km - and a population of 811
>million people, the AU believes the continent will be a global
>powerhouse.
>
>It also aims to tap the enormous African Diaspora - more than 80 million
>Nigerians live outside the country alone.
>
>But the continent's gross domestic product of US $612,916 million is
>dwarfed by the combined debt of Africa - a colossal US $305 billion. And
>already, the AU has inherited more than $40 million in debt from its
>predecessor.
>
>Orjiako says that funding for the parliament will come from AU member
>states, but he acknowledged that the AU might need support from the
>international community.
>
>"Our partners are interested in African democracy and will support this
>system," he said.
>
>
>© UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2003
>
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