By Tendai Keith Guvamombe
The President of the Pan African Parliament (PAP), His Excellency, Chief Fortune Zephania Charumbira, has called on national Parliaments to play a more decisive role in the quest to end
conflicts, terrorism, violent extremism and unconstitutional changes of government on the African continent.
Addressing the Committee on Foreign Relations, International Cooperation and Angolan Communities of the National Assembly of Angola during a bilateral visit to the National Assembly of Angola, H.E. Chief Charumbira chided national Parliaments for taking a back seat
in conflict resolution initiatives and leaving everything to the Executive.
He pointed out that
conflict resolution is everyone’s responsibility, moreso, Parliamentarians who are the people’s elected representatives. “Parliamentarians cannot afford to take a back seat while African citizens bear the brunt of the vagaries of conflict, terrorism, violent extremism and unconstitutional changes of government on the continent,” he said.
He threw down the gauntlet to the leadership of the National Assembly of Angola stating that there is no reason why they cannot engage their counterparts at the Parliamentary level in DRC and Rwanda, for example, to try to resolve the conflict in DRC which has lasted for over 30 years with countless human fatalities.
H.E. Chief Charumbira averred that Parliamentary Diplomacy has emerged and is now widely recognised as an alternative conflict resolution mechanism which can unlock doors that the Executive and other players may be unable to unlock. It is, therefore, the responsibility of national, regional and continental Parliamentary institutions to leverage on Parliamentary Diplomacy in assisting Executive efforts to bring an end to the internecine conflicts on the
continent.
The Chairperson of the Committee on Foreign Relations, International Cooperation and Angolan Communities, Hon. Alcides Skala Simoes, assured the PAP President of Angola’s commitment to multilateral cooperation and reaffirmed the country’s willingness to strengthen bilateral relations with PAP.
