Story by Oleen Ndori, Foreign Desk Editor
THE Pan- African Parliament(PAP) is looking at enhancing operations to deal with peace and security on the continent alongside inclusive development.
PAP president, Chief Fortune Charumbira met the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Professor Amon Murwira where discussions centred on development, peace and security on the African continent, along with acclimatising the new Foreign Minister on the operations of the PAP.
“We considered other issues of the continent, which are important, which are developmental, how we move this continent to the next stage, in terms of ensuring that our citizens, not only in Zimbabwe, but across the continent, get the quality life they desire in terms of education, health, infrastructure,” Chief Charumbira said.
“We also discussed the issue of sanctions, and as PAP, we are going to deploy parliamentarians from PAP and our message is these sanctions do not benefit anyone including those who are imposing them. It is illegal, unfair, and we condemn them. So the African Parliament condemned the sanctions, and we are sending a delegation across those countries that continue to impose sanctions.”
Professor Murwira said PAP is a strategic partner in spearheading Zimbabwe’s Foreign Policy and the country’s position with regards to promoting pan-Africanism.
“Zimbabwe’s posture towards Africa and the Pan-African Parliament is governed by our own constitution. Section 4, subsection 2 of our constitution, makes it mandatory that we are Pan-African. And by that, our disposition towards the Pan-African Parliament is that of absolute and maximum support to the best that we can as a country.
“Therefore, the visit and the updates that were being given by Senator Charumbira are very important for us to share how we can contribute meaningfully to the progress of the Pan-African Parliament as a Pan-African institution.
“It is very important that the peaceful co-existence of Zimbabwe within the international world and the peaceful resolution of conflicts across the world is also constitutionally mandated as part of our posture to the world as Zimbabwe.”
Chief Charumbira assumed the presidency of PAP in 2022, with a vision of promoting Pan-African values in the operations of the continental body through an inclusive parliamentary agenda for the continent.
