African Unification Front
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Link:- Establishment of Pan African Parliamentary Trust
April 1, 2005
Africa's President Demands Independence for Pan African Parliament
PAP TRUST FUND IS THE KEY TO AFRICA'S SUCCESS
Africa's legislators have undertaken to reverse decades of global marginalisation by striving to influence the international agenda in favour of Africa. High on the agenda of the PAP's third session is the creation of a trust fund as an additional source of funding for the Pan African Parliament.
AU President Gertrude Mongella called for the African Parliament to assert its independence, and to end its dependence on the financial support of its subordinate AU organs and states. "If we want to make the parliament independent, we have to look at alternative sources of funding," said Mongella. "We need to provide the parliament with the necessary resources. At this session there will be a discussion on the establishment of a trust fund as a source of additional funding."
Princess Baba Jigida, Sheik Ibrahim Kamara,
and Ms. Bintanding Jarju at the Third Session
 Princess Baba Jigida was outspoken in support of establishing the parliamentary trust fund. She said the African parliament needs "a trust fund in order to be efficient and not to disappoint our people". The PAP Trust Fund does not necessarily mean only cash. It can include expertise, technology, outsourcing or an internal PAP site that can keep the African people and the media informed of PAP's activities. Member states can contribute in a variety of ways, which does not necessarily have to be in a "cash" manner.
African Union President Gertrude Mongella is also urging the African Parliament to work towards implementing a common policy stance on rich countries and powerful regional blocs. President Mongella said that the policy should include a common African stance on United Nations reform, World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks, and other global forums.
Gertrude Mongella decried the fact that Africa had no united agenda in dealing with powerful blocs such as Europe, the United States, the Nordic countries and some regions, each of whom had their own agenda on Africa. "Africa must rise to this challenge", Mongella said. "We must move from just numbers to influencing decisions of this world."
Dawit Yohannes, a PAP representative for Ethiopia, stressed that PAP should concentrate on the political aspects of bringing African states together, instead of being divided. "Africa does not have the time to drag its feet in the international arena", Yohannes said.
Mongella sent Mbeki to Cote d'Ivoire
 Speaking to reporters, African President Gertrude Mongella said the lawmakers would consider, amongst others, sending a mission to Ivory Coast to get firsthand information on the political situation in that state. The mission would be the second to be undertaken by PAP following a similar one to Darfur, Sudan. The AU government appointed President Thabo Mbeki as a mediator in November last year, but progress towards disarmament or peace is slow.
On March 30, 2005, the PAP elected Theophile Nata to replace Sacca Kina Guezere as one of the Vice Presidents of the African Union. He passed on the 11 January 2005 in his home country Benin after being taken ill in Accra Ghana where he was representing PAP at the ceremony of the inauguration of President Kufuor to begin his Second Term of Office. In her opening speech President Mongella said that the late Hon. Sacca Kina was a man of integrity with a track record of leadership experience across Africa.
President Mongella said that as a Bureau member AU Vice President Guezere "demonstrated his dedication to the ideals of Pan Africanism, and firm commitment to the work of the Pan-African Parliament." She added, "We have lost a leader, a colleague and a brother in the struggle for development for Africa."
Nata received a 78% yes vote from members of parliament attending the session. The delegates have described him as a "worthy replacement" of Guezere. Nata thanked his colleagues from Benin and members of PAP for trusting him with the position.
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