Gender equality is ”taking root” in African leadership, Pan African Parliament (PAP) president Gertrude Mongella said in Midrand on Monday.
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s election as President of Liberia shows ”the equality of women and men in organs of power is taking root on this continent”, Mongella said on the first day of the PAP’s fourth ordinary session.
”As men and women of this continent, we have to give effect to the principles of equality,” said Mongella. ”This demonstrates that Africa is on the way to realising that women are as capable to lead as men are.”
Mongella extended the PAP’s congratulations to Johnson-Sirleaf and to the people of Liberia, Somalia and Burundi for conducting peaceful and democratic elections.
Mongella said Africans have to learn to accept the outcomes of democratic processes, in particular general elections.
”We have seen in some African countries that if you don’t win, the election is not free and fair.”
During the fourth session, the PAP will discuss a number of issues, including its strategic plan for 2006 to 2010.
”It outlines the strategic route that this Parliament will follow in the next five years while building capacity to carry out its various functions,” Mongella said.
She said the PAP has made progress in the increasing number of functions it has been called on to perform, such as advocacy on issues affecting Africans, sending peace missions to Sudan’s Darfur region and Mauritania in the past year, sending observer missions to various countries holding elections, and collaborating with regional and international institutions.
Other topics to be discussed during the session are the PAP’s budget for 2006, peace and security issues and the course to be taken by the PAP’s various committees.
More than 20 new members of the PAP were introduced and sworn in after the parliamentary chamber’s official opening.
The PAP is to convene at the newly built site in Midrand for the next four years until its permanent home is built, South African Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sue van der Merwe said.
The chamber’s public gallery has 500 seats, in addition to the 300 seats for parliamentarians.
Van der Merwe welcomed the PAP on behalf of host country South Africa, and reminded members of their duties to Africans.
”President Thabo Mbeki has called this the African Parliament of liberators.
”He declared it our responsibility to help people to act as their own liberators in order to achieve the dream of the emancipation of the people of Africa,” Van der Merwe said.
The PAP’s fourth session is to take place from Monday until December 2. — Sapa