President Ruto’s Address at Pan-African Parliament
Johannesburg,
This week, the Pan-African Parliament will host the third African Parliamentarians Summit on Climate Policy and Equity in Midrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. President William Ruto is expected to deliver a speech.
The purpose of the two-day summit is to motivate a critical mass of stakeholders to generate widespread support for pro-poor, just, equitable, locally-led, and science-based decisions in the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and climate action.
Agreement in 2015, the Summit will also examine the contentious issue of just transition and produce recommendations to guide member nations in a direction that is consistent with African nations.
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In April, President Ruto challenged Pan African Parliament -PAP to take the lead on issues affecting Africans, such as intra-African commerce, climate change, democracy, and good governance.
Economic expansion
During a meeting with the President of the Pan-African Parliament, Chief Fortune Charumbira, at State House in Nairobi, the President urged the continental legislative body to play a key role in the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which presents enormous opportunities for exponential economic growth through trade and investment.
The implementation of the AfCFTA is consistent with the African Union’s theme for 2023, “Year of Accelerating the Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.”
President Ruto stated that it was time for Africa to abandon fossil fuels and embrace renewable energy sources, given that the continent has the world’s largest untapped clean energy reserves.
The second ordinary session of the Sixth Pan-African Parliament, which began on Monday, May 15, was officially opened by President Azali Assoumani of Comoros, who is also the Chair of the African Union. The African Heads of State and Government pledged their full support for the functioning of the continental legislative body.
According to the President of the Pan-African Parliament, Chief Charumbira, the institution’s continued underfunding has slowed operations and halted certain activities.
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“PAP is the only parliament in the world whose members do not receive sitting allowances, while all other organs in AU do. Why?” questioned Charumbira. The budget of the PAP has been on a downward trend. Without the necessary budgetary support, the PAP remains a brand-new vehicle that is eager to be driven but incapable of doing so due to a lack of fuel.
In addition, he decried the state of political instability in numerous African nations, stating that it was reversing substantial democratic gains.
In his address to the continental house, Senate Speaker Amason Kingi stated that climate change currently poses threats to humanity on a scale and in a magnitude that was previously unimaginable.
“The struggle for survival in the face of the adverse effects of climate change has never been more intense and desperate for humans and wildlife across the globe,” Mr. Kingi said.
Senateurs Tabitha Mutinda and William Kisang accompany Mr. Kingi.
Kenyan representatives in the continental parliament are Esther Passaris, Majimbo Kalasinga, Rahab Mukami, Senators Danson Mungatana, and Prof Margaret Kamar.
African Union’s Climate Change and Resilience Strategy (2022-2023), which stands out as a guide on climate action and green recovery, advocates for clarifying the role of the various AU structures and agencies involved in Climate policy and for strengthening collaboration between the African Group of Negotiators (AGN), the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN), and the committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC).
President Ruto’s Address at Pan-African Parliament
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