Harare, (New Ziana) – The African Union Executive Council has approved a special budget allocation of US$650,000 to the Pan African Parliament (PAP), providing critical relief for the continental legislature that has long been hamstrung by financial constraints.
The funding lifeline was endorsed during the Council’s 47th Extraordinary Session held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, following recommendations by the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC).
The decision comes just days before the Fifth Ordinary Session of the Sixth Parliament is scheduled to convene in Midrand, South Africa, from 21 July to 1 August 2025.
According to the Executive Council, the special allocation is intended to support a broad range of urgent operational requirements including the upcoming Ordinary Session, participation in AU activities, Bureau meetings, rotational duties, and interpretation services.
The move follows sustained lobbying by the Bureau of the Pan African Parliament, led by its President, Chief Fortune Zephania Charumbira.
He has consistently warned that the Parliament’s ability to execute its mandate has been severely weakened by a post-pandemic funding model that no longer reflects the realities of its full return to physical operations.
“In the wake of COVID-19, the PAP was left with a lockdown-era budget that has proved woefully inadequate for its expanding responsibilities,” said Chief Charumbira.
“This special allocation, while still insufficient, is a crucial first step toward restoring some measure of functionality to our institution.”
The Parliament’s budget was drastically reduced in 2019 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, with AU authorities implementing cutbacks premised on the transition to virtual operations. However, despite the resumption of full physical sessions from 29 June 2022, the annual financial envelope has not been adjusted accordingly.
This has led to widespread operational paralysis, particularly within the Parliament’s oversight committees—often regarded as the engine room of legislative work.
While the newly approved allocation falls short of addressing all of PAP’s financial needs, it marks a significant shift in AU sentiment toward the role and relevance of the continental legislature.
Analysts believe the move signals growing recognition within AU organs of the Parliament’s strategic role in enhancing democratic governance and continental integration.
New Ziana
