By Byron Adonis Mutingwende
Originally posted on spikedmedia.
MIDRAND, SOUTH AFRICA | 28 July 2025 (IDN) — In a powerful display of unity and purpose, Speakers and Presiding Officers of African Parliaments are gathered at the Pan-African Parliament in Midrand, South Africa, on 28 July 2025 in preparation for the inaugural P20 Symposium for the African Continent.
Convened under the theme “Harnessing Parliamentary Diplomacy for the Realisation of Global Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability,” the event marks a milestone in Africa’s parliamentary engagement with the global community and a pivotal preparatory step toward the 11th P20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit, scheduled for October 2025.
Hosted by the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa in conjunction with the Pan-African Parliament, the Symposium is running alongside PAP’s Ordinary Session and brings together key leaders to forge a collective African voice on pressing global matters—from trade and climate change to ethical resource governance and debt sustainability.
A Strategic Moment for Africa
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, African nations are grappling with profound social and economic disruptions. With fiscal deficits doubling, debt burdens rising, and climate-related losses mounting—between 2-5% of GDP and up to 9% of national budgets—the continent stands at a crossroads.
Speakers at the Symposium are expected to highlight parliamentary diplomacy as a powerful tool to advance Africa’s interests and influence international policy decisions that often shape domestic realities.
Speaking ahead of the symposium, Hon Chief Charumbira, the President of the Pan African Parliament, said the Symposium is not only about preparation for the P20 Summit but “a strategic moment for African parliaments to assert their role as architects of our continent’s global engagement. We must speak with one voice to champion Africa’s priorities.”
Defining Africa’s Agenda: Four Core Issues
The Symposium will focus on four thematic plenary sessions, each tackling a critical issue where parliamentary leadership is vital.
1. Trade Justice and Global Market Access for Agricultural Products
With intra-African agricultural trade still under 20%, participants will discuss how parliaments can remove legislative barriers and harmonize standards under frameworks like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Emphasis will be placed on ensuring smallholder farmers benefit from market reforms and on building resilient regional agricultural value chains.
2. Climate Resilience and the Nairobi Declaration
Referencing the 2023 Africa Climate Summit’s Nairobi Declaration, parliamentarians will explore how to integrate climate resilience into national development plans and ensure community involvement in adaptation strategies. With sub-Saharan Africa needing up to $50 billion annually for climate adaptation, there is an urgency for strategic funding and oversight.
3. Combating Predatory Mining and Promoting Ethical Resource Governance
Delegates will examine the environmental and social costs of unethical mining practices. The session will call for parliamentary action to promote beneficiation, environmental justice, and transparency in resource management. The nexus between predatory mining, armed conflict, and criminal economies will be explored as a key challenge threatening both peace and sustainable development.
4. Synergising African Legislative Efforts for Global Policy Influence
The final session will focus on the need for African parliaments to forge unified positions in global forums. Mechanisms for continental coordination will be proposed, including inter-parliamentary platforms and integrated policy frameworks that align with Agenda 2063—Africa’s blueprint for inclusive development and regional integration.
A Joint Communiqué and the Road to the P20
A significant outcome of the Symposium will be the adoption of a joint communiqué, representing Africa’s collective recommendations for the 11th P20 Speakers’ Summit. This document will encapsulate proposals on trade justice, climate action, ethical governance, and policy harmonisation, ensuring the continent’s voice resonates on the global stage.
Hon Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) in the Parliament of South Africa, speaking at the continental legislative body’s precinct in Midrand last week, said through parliamentary diplomacy, Africa is seizing the reins of its destiny and influencing decisions that affect its people’s lives.
A New Era of Parliamentary Diplomacy
The 2025 P20 Symposium marks a new era where African legislatures are not merely observers of international developments but key shapers of global policy. By strengthening collaboration, aligning agendas, and reaffirming their commitment to democratic governance, Africa’s parliamentary leaders are charting a path toward a future defined by solidarity, equality, and sustainability.
As preparations intensify for the October P20 Summit, the message from Midrand is clear: Africa is united, determined, and ready to lead. [IDN-InDepthNews]