This marked the transition from the
traditional “Activity Report” to an assessment which looks at tangible
achievements, assesses performance, identifies strengths and weaknesses,
and sets goals for future performance. The move has been hailed by
African Parliamentarians who have expressed confidence in the current’s
leadership ability to effectively deliver on its commitment to “revive,
renew, reposition, and reinvigorate” Africa’s supreme parliamentary
body.
The Performance Review Report
sought to present the activities undertaken by the PAP since the
elective session in June 2022, the results achieved as well as
challenges faced by the institution in the execution of its results.
“There
is a deliberate change in the thrust of your new Bureau, from merely
activity-based reporting to results-based reporting,” said H.E Hon.
Charumbira while delivering the PPR to the plenary session held under
the African Union theme for 2022, “Building resilience in nutrition on the African continent: Accelerate the human capital, social and economic development”.
“This
explains why we have changed even the title of this report from an
Activity Report to a Performance Review Report. In this new
dispensation, we are deliberately moving away from counting the number
of bees that visit the flowers to focusing on the number of bees that
actually produce the nectar. We are moving away from the common mistake
of conflating activities with results.”
H.E Hon Charumbira underscored that African legislators must demonstrate the results of
the work that the PAP is doing for them to win the support of the
African citizenry. He further appreciated the achievements done by the
incumbent Bureau promising to continue their hard work.
“PAP
will not relent and will continue to undertake its responsibilities
towards enhancing peace and security, the promotion of democracy and the
socio-economic development of the peoples of Africa. The newly elected
Bureau is committed to the rejuvenation and revitalisation of the PAP as
evidenced by the achievements that have been recorded within this short
period of time,” he added.
The results
of the Performance Review Report are anchored on the four thematic
objectives of the PAP 2019-2023 Strategic Plan. This includes
strengthening the parliamentary functions of the PAP; strengthening the
partnership, coordination, outreach and institutional capacity of the
PAP; promoting the PAP’s support of human rights and social inclusion
goals of the AU and strengthening learning and sharing, knowledge
management, communication, and advocacy of the PAP.
The
report highlighted the entrenchment of the principle of rotation in the
election of the Bureau and Bureaux of the sixth Parliament of the PAP,
the first meeting of the Permanent Standing Committees, the Strategic
Reorientation workshop for members of parliament, the development of
Model laws as well as the participation in the 41st Ordinary Session of
the Executive Council and the 4th mid-year coordination meeting of the
African Union (AU) and the Regional Economic Communities, as some of the
key deliverables since June 2022.
It
further noted the engagements with other arms of the Union such as the
Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), the AU
institutional reform team, the AUDA-NEPAD and the APRM. The President of
the PAP also mentioned the hosting of the Eleventh Conference of the
Speakers of Regional and National Parliaments in Africa and the 4th
Meeting of Secretaries-General of African Parliaments (ASGAP) as two
critical consultations that yielded expected results.
Following the
presentation, African legislators had robust engagements and
deliberations before adopting the commendable report. The debate centred
around numerous issues including the ratification of the Malabo
Protocol, budgetary constraints faced by the Parliament and the urgent
need to improve the livelihoods of African citizenry.
