Speech by Honorable Dr Gertrude Mongella at the Civil society and Pan African Parliament consultative dialogue, 7-8th May 2007

Distinguished Participants The chairperson of Southern Africa Trust Board of Trustees: Mr Denis Kadima The vice president of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of AU:
Mr Charles Mutasa Representatives of African Civil Society Organizations present Ladies and gentlemen

It is with pride, honor and great pleasure that, on behalf of the Pan African Parliament and also on my behalf, I today extend a warm welcome to all the Civil Society organizations present here today.

May I take this opportunity to express our deep gratitude to the Southern Africa Trust for the technical and financial resources for this event. It is both an honor and great pleasure for the PAP to meet civil society. I am particularly happy that most of you were able to attend the opening of our Seventh Ordinary Session. It is my hope that you will continue to interact with the Pan African Parliament. The theme of this session is: The African Union Government. This is an important milestone in the process of African integration and requires thorough and frank discussion among the African peoples. I invite you all to make submissions on the matter before the next African Union Summit in Accra in June 2007. Civil Society needs to reflect on the strategic areas of focus for a Union Government and also inform the content of these strategic areas.

This initiative by the Southern Africa trust to establish consultative for a with the Pan African Parliament is a reflection of the level of maturity within our civil society. For a long time, there has been suspicion between civil society and institutions of governance. In some cases, civil society has behaved like opposition parties. In others, civil society has been outright hostile to governments. This tension is not unique to Africa. Every society experiences an essential tension in the relationship between citizens and the state, between civil society and government. There are, however, rich variations in the way this tension is resolved, and how the nature of the relationship evolves over time, from place to place. There are differences between those states which have emerged from colonial status, and those whose political evolution from, say, feudalism, started much longer.

The fact of the matter is that civil society and parliaments are all in the business of representing the people, of giving voices to the voiceless. Allow me to emphasize that civil society organizations and parliaments do not govern; but they oversee those who govern to ensure that policies are people based. Both parliaments and civil society should help governments monitor service delivery to the people. The relationship between civil society and governments need not be adversarial but should be complementary.

Poverty reduction and economic development are two of the most important issues facing governments in Africa. Consequently, several global initiatives have been created to complement different aspects of national economic growth strategies; among them, the Millennium Development  Goals (MDGs) -  and the Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRSPs). Members of Parliament and civil society are expected to communicate with the public regarding poverty or poverty related reforms. The question is: How many of our people know about the MDGs and the PRSPs? Programs such as PRSPs and MDGs are often alien to our people who are the beneficiaries of these policies. For many citizens, poverty is a real, daily experience that seems to demand simple solutions (a job, a local clinic, school, clean water, more agricultural tools, and electricity). It is very important for parliamentarians and civil society to build strategies for communicating with our people.

One of the most serious challenges facing Africa is the lack of participation by our citizens in our institutions of governance. While parliaments and the Pan African Parliament have put in place structures to open up practices and procedures to the public, the CSO capacity to support these initiatives has been minimal. This lack of capacity in linking citizens to governance processes has resulted in a growing crisis of legitimacy between citizens and the institutions of governance. Citizens speak of disillusionment with institutions of governance based on a lack of responsiveness to their need and of a limited sense of connection with elected representatives. This has resulted in weakening participatory legislative governance. This creates a democratic deficit in terms of achieving participatory democracy.

A commonwealth Foundation Report (1999) notes that throughout the world, there is growing consensus that the future is found in a focus on both a more active and engaged civil society which can express demands of the citizenry and thereby achieve responsiveness from state institutions of governance. The Commission on Global Governance reports that many people expect more from democracy than just two minutes in a voting booth every few years and that widening signs of alienation from the political process call for the reform of governance within societies, for new reforms of participation, and for wider involvement of people than traditional democratic systems have allowed.

I am therefore very happy that this consultative dialogue between the civil society and the Pan African parliament is taking place. Everyone now agrees that there is a close relationship between civil society and Parliamentarians. But what is the nature of those links? How do they hang together? Should some of them be reinforced, and if so, which? How can parliament and civil society give voices to the voiceless? It is my hope that this consultative meeting will look at all these issues and come up with a sustainable working framework to ensure continuous dialogue.

Let me assure you that the institutional framework to link civil society with the Pan African Parliament is in place. Article 3 of the Constitutive Act of the African Union requires the Pan African Parliament  to promote and defend African common positions in issues of interest to the continent and its peoples. Article 17 of the Constitutive Act states: In order to ensure the full participation of African peoples in the development and economic integration of the continent, a Pan African Parliament shall be established.

The Preamble to the Protocol to the Treaty establishing the African Economic Community relating to the PAP  states that the purpose of the PAP is to provide a vision to provide a common platform for African peoples and their grassroots organizations to be more involved in discussions and decision making on the problems and challenges facing the continent. Article 2 of the same Protocol establishing the PAP states: The Pan African Parliament shall represent all the peoples of Africa. Article 4 of the Protocol states: The objectives of the PAP shall be to: familiarize the peoples of Africa with the objectives and policies aimed at integrating the African Continent within the framework of the establishment of the African Union.

Rule 35(1) of the Rules of Procedure of PAP states: The proceedings of the Pan African Parliament shall be open to the public, unless otherwise directed by the Bureau.

I have outlined the provisions of the different legal instruments establishing the PAP to demonstrate that the PAP is ready to engage with civil society. As our countries develop and implement PRSPs, or other strategic economic plans, communication with citizens from a variety of locations becomes critical diagnosing the needs of impoverished population groups, alerting citizens to changes in policies or regulations that will affect them directly.

It is my hope that the consultative dialogue between the civil society and the Pan African Parliament will provide an opportunity for parliamentarians and citizens to engage on African development issues in line with the mandate and the objective of the Pan African parliament. Our long term view is that PAP will establish a civil society dialogue unit within the precincts of PAP so that any citizen of Africa can bring their issues to the attention of PAP. Continuous dialogue with civil society will promote relations between the Pan African Parliament and civil society and foster a more democratic and participatory approach to policy making in Africa. It is my hope that the civil society organizations that are present will work with us to establish this centre.

With these words, it is my honor to declare this Consultative Dialogue Meeting between the Pan African Parliament and civil society open.

Thank you.