First Ordinary Session Of Seventh Legislature Of The Pan-African Parliament

First Ordinary Session Of Seventh Legislature Of The Pan-African Parliament

INVITATION TO MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES

WHAT: The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) will host the First Ordinary Session of its Seventh Legislature, bringing together parliamentarians from across the continent to deliberate on critical issues affecting Africa's development and integration.

WHEN: 17 July - 1 August 2026, starting from 9am (SAST).

WHERE: Pan-African Parliament Headquarters, 19 Richard's Drive, Gallagher Estate, Midrand, South Africa.

WHO: AfricanHeads of State and Government,Pan-African Parliamentarians, Speakers of National and Regional Parliaments, Members of National and Regional Parliaments, Clerks of National and Regional Parliaments, Government Officials, Civil Society Organizations, Academia, African Union Member States, African Union Organs and Institutions, United Nations Organs and Bodies, and the Diplomatic Corps.

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

The First Ordinary Session is structured into four phases designed to maximize legislative effectiveness and continental cooperation:

1. Preparatory Meetings (17-18 July 2026) - Closed Session Activities commence with meetings of the PAP Bureau and Ambassadors on 17 July 2026. A joint meeting of the Bureau, Committee Bureaux and Caucuses follows on 18 July 2026 to finalize work programmes and align priorities in accordance with the Rules of Procedure.

2. Permanent Committees and Caucuses Work (20-26 July 2026) - Open Session with Media Interview Opportunities

Under the African Union Theme of the Year 2026: "Ensuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063," committees will consider matters within their mandates and prepare reports for plenary presentation. Special focus will be placed on cross-cutting issues including peace and security, trade and economic integration, and gender and youth affairs.

3. First Ordinary Session of the Seventh Legislature (27-30 July 2026) - Open Session with Media Interview Opportunities

The Ordinary Session opens on 27 July 2026 with the President's address, swearing-in of new members, solidarity messages, and the State of the African Union presentation by the AU Commission Chairperson. Plenary deliberations will cover peace and security, committee reports, the Women's Caucus report, and the AU Theme of the Year 2026, before concluding on 30 July with final resolutions and the closing ceremony.

4. Conference of Speakers of National and Regional Parliaments (31 July - 1 August 2026) - Open Session with Media Interview Opportunities

Following the adoption of resolutions of the First Ordinary Session of the Seventh Legislature, this conference will serve as a platform for dialogue between the Pan-African Parliament and parliamentary institutions across the continent, supporting the PAP's mandate to contribute to the harmonization and coordination of African Union Member States' legislation.

OBJECTIVES:

The PAP's Rules of Procedure mandate at least two plenary sessions annually. During these sessions, the plenary reviews committee reports and makes recommendations to Heads of State and Government on harmonized continental policies and laws. The Parliament also receives reports from other AU Organs and African Institutions, with plenary sessions preceded by Permanent Committee work.

The sessions of the Permanent Committees, Caucuses and other PAP organs constitute an essential step in strengthening the institution's legislative, advisory and parliamentary oversight role. They aim to support African Union priorities implementation, prepare new legislative initiatives, strengthen cooperation with partner institutions, and enhance parliamentary contribution to the African Union Theme of the Year 2026.

ACCREDITATION:

For media accreditation to cover the Ordinary Session, journalists are invited to fill out the accreditation form at https://t.ly/6H-o_ and return to [email protected] by 10 July 2026.

LIVESTREAMING:

Live-streaming, articles and audio-visual material of the open sessions can be accessed through the following platforms:

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/panafricanparliament

Twitter (X) : https://twitter.com/AfrikParliament ;

YouTube : www.youtube.com/channel/panafricanparliament

Website : http://pap.au.int/en

Video Live Stream : www.panafricanparliament.org/multimedia/webcast

For further information and general comments, please contact:

Ms. Lindiwe Khumalo: Clerk of the Pan-African Parliament: [email protected]

For all media inquiries, please contact:

Mr. Jeffrey Onganga: [email protected]