Ramaphosa urges PAP to take active role in promoting accountability – SABC News

President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on the Pan African Parliament to play a more active role in advancing democracy, accountability and good governance across the African continent.

Delivering the keynote address at the opening of the First Ordinary Session of the Seventh Pan African Parliament in Midrand, Ramaphosa emphasises that South Africa’s future is inextricably linked to that of the African continent.

He urges parliamentarians to strengthen oversight of African Union programmes and institutions to ensure they deliver meaningful benefits to the people of Africa.

Ramaphosa also highlights access to clean water and safe sanitation as central to Africa’s development agenda, warning that sustainable economic growth, public health, and social progress depend on addressing these persistent challenges.

The weeklong Session is taking place under the African Union’s 2026 Theme: “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063”.

Lawmakers are expected to deliberate on issues ranging from governance and economic integration to peace, security, and sustainable development.

WATCH | President Cyril Ramaphosa says the Pan-African Parliament gives expression to the voice of the people of Africa and reinforces a shared commitment to democratic governance, constitutionalism, the rule of law and respect for human rights. pic.twitter.com/IcfECp8E62

— SABC News (@SABCNews) July 27, 2026

President Ramaphosa says, “By hosting this Pan-African Parliament and through our humble contribution to African Unity, integration, peace and security, we affirm our profound conviction that South Africa’s future is inseparable from the future of our beloved African continent.

“The Pan-African Parliament, rather, is a pillar of Africa’s democratic architecture. As you all sit here, you must know that we all see you as representing that pillar. This Parliament gives expression to the voice of the peoples of Africa. It reinforces our shared commitment to democratic governance, constitutionalism, the rule of law, and the respect for human rights. As elected representatives of our continent and of our people, you have a unique responsibility as members of this Parliament to strengthen accountable institutions, to promote transparency, and to ensure that the aspirations of the African Union are translated into tangible improvements in the lives of the people of Africa. This Parliament must itself exemplify the democratic values that it seeks to advance across the continent. It must be a model of integrity, of transparency, of accountability, and responsible stewardship and fidelity to its own rules. Its strength will depend not only on the powers entrusted to this Parliament, but also on the confidence it inspires among the people of Africa.”

President Ramaphosa addresses First Session of the Seventh Pan-African Parliament: