The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) was set up to ensure the full participation of African peoples in the economic development and integration of the continent.
The PAP is intended as a platform for people from all African states to be involved in discussions and decision-making on the problems and challenges facing the continent. The Parliament sits in Midrand, South Africa.
Rather than being elected directly by the people, PAP members are designated by the legislatures of their Member State and members of their domestic legislatures. The ultimate aim is for the Parliament to be an institution with full legislative powers, whose members are elected by universal suffrage. Until such time, the PAP has consultative, advisory and budgetary oversight powers within the AU.
The AU Assembly adopted the Protocol to the Constitutive Act of the African Union Relating to the Pan-African Parliament during its June 2014 Summit. The new Protocol will come into force 30 days after the deposit of instruments of ratification by a simple majority of AU Member States.
As of September 2017, 15 Member States had signed the Protocol and five had deposited their instruments of ratification. The 2014 Protocol includes that the Parliament shall be the legislative organ of the AU, with the AU Assembly determining the subjects/areas on which the Parliament may propose draft model laws and for the Parliament to make its own proposals on the subjects/areas on which it may submit or recommend draft model laws to the Assembly for its consideration and approval.
