OLU IBEKWE

Guinea’s president, who also serves as African Union (AU) chairman, has called on African countries to “cut the umbilical chord with France” so as to initiate the continent’s development. Speaking at the 12th International Salon of Agriculture, held in Morocco’s northern city of Meknes late Monday, Alpha Conde harshly criticized western countries — singling out France in particular — for what he described as their policy of interfering in African domestic affairs, Anadolu Agency reported. “Western countries should no longer dictate what we should do,” he said, going on to assert: “Africa must define its own path to development.” “No one should decide for Africa,” he said. “It is true that there are universal principles governing democracy, but it is important to allow African countries adapt these principles to their conditions.” Referring to the experiences of certain Asian countries, Conde said that Southeast Asia — especially Malaysia — had managed to develop the...

The Permanent Representative Committee  and the Executive Committee of the African Union have both expressed concern the slow pace at which member states respond to ratify and domestic the AU legal instruments. Speaking at the Press Conference on the 28th January, the  President of the Pan African Parliament said the 2017 theme of the African Union Summit; “harnessing the demographic dividend through investments in the youth” is an excellent reminder to respective legislatures to lay proper foundation if Africa is to achieve the sustainable development goals by 2030, as well as the African Union Agenda 2063. " The apparent slow ratification of the Pan African Parliament (PAP)’s new protocol by African states; some three years after the African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government adopted the protocol is of grave concern to the continental Parliament. The Pan African Parliament is currently unable to play its expected pivotal role of prom...

The African Union Commission (AUC) has impressed upon the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) to play an active role in propagating free movement of African citizens across the continent people as well as the use of the African passport. “Benefits of free movement of persons, goods and services far outweigh the real and potential security and economic challenges that may be perceived or generated,” stressed AUC Director of Political Affairs, Dr. Khabele Matlosa during the Committee Sittings at the PAP precincts in Midrand, South-Africa. Dr. Matlosa was updating members of the PAP Committee on Trade, Customs and Immigration on the progress made so far since the launch of the African Passport in July, 2016 and the work on the draft protocol to allow free movement of Africans across the continent. He said PAP through its committee on Trade, Customs and Immigration had a critical role to play in promoting the African Passport and free movement of persons across Africa espec...