Deputy Minister Alvin Botes: Opening ceremony of the Annual Conference of Speakers of African Parliaments

President of the Pan-African Parliament, His Excellency, The Right Honourable Chief Fortune Charumbira
Members of the Bureau of the Pan-African Parliament
The Speaker of the Transitional National Assembly of Gabon, His Excellency Jean-François Ndongou, representing the Guest of Honour, the President of the Republic of Gabon, His Excellency Brice Oligui Nguema
The Vice Presidents of the Pan-African Parliament, Hon. Dr. Habib, Hon. Dr. Gayo and Hon. Lucia dos Passos
The Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces of the Republic of South Africa, Hon. Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane
Hon. Speakers of National and Regional Parliaments
Hon. Members of the Pan-African Parliament
The Director for External Offices in the EU’s Directorate for Parliamentary Democracy Partnerships, Mr. Oumar Doumbouya, and representatives of the EU Parliament
The Clerk of the Pan-African Parliament, Ms. Lindiwe Khumalo and Resource Persons
Members of the Media
Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Distinguished Delegates

Karibuni!
Bom dia!
Bonjour!
Wamkelikile!

On behalf of the host government and the people of the Republic of South Africa, we welcome you to the 2025 Annual Conference of Speakers of African Parliaments.

Nelson Mandela once said:
“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”

Honourable Members

The vision and purpose of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) can be traced to the Pan-African ideals of cooperation and unity among African states, leading ultimately to the establishment of the African Economic Community (AEC). These ideals inspired, among others, the signing of the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community (Abuja Treaty) in 1991 and the Sirte Declaration of 1999.

The Sirte Declaration called for the speedy establishment of the institutions provided for in the Abuja Treaty, and the PAP was envisioned as a platform from which African peoples—rather than only states—could be represented in continental decision-making processes. In this regard, Article 3 of the PAP Protocol outlines some of the key objectives of the PAP. The Lagos Plan of Action, the Final Lagos Act and the Abuja Protocol all regard the PAP as a critical pillar in building the AEC, specifically as a representative forum and participatory platform for Africa’s people.

Honourable Members

We meet just days after the conclusion of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). From that Assembly, one message rang out clearly from the Global South: the international system demands urgent reform.

We live in a time of poly-crisis—genocide in Gaza, wars across Africa, rising racism, sexism, xenophobia, tribalism, right-wing populism, terrorism, and disinformation. As the world transitions from unilateralism to multilateralism, from unipolarity to multipolarity, the PAP must act as a catalytic anchor of the African Union. It must insist on international law, sovereignty, human rights and global solidarity.

Excellencies

This year also marks the 70th Anniversary of the Bandung Conference of 1955—a founding moment of Afro-Asian solidarity and non-alignment. With conflicts in Sudan, South Sudan, the DRC and Gaza, and the ongoing colonial question in Western Sahara, the spirit of Bandung is more relevant than ever.

The Pan-African Parliament must be the custodian of this spirit—ensuring that solidarity, international law, and multilateralism are not lost in a fractured global order.

Honourable Speakers

The African Union’s Agenda of “Silencing the Guns” must not become a deferred dream. The PAP must enforce oversight, demand accountability, and ensure that preventable conflicts no longer define our continent.

Distinguished Delegates

Kwame Nkrumah’s 1963 words ring true today:
“The political independence of any one African state will be valueless unless it is linked with the economic liberation of all Africa.”

Through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), we must industrialise Africa, create jobs, and build economic independence. But this will not succeed without parliaments. Legislatures must harmonise laws, reduce barriers, and hold executives accountable for AfCFTA implementation. Integration must not be left to governments alone.

Excellencies

Africa today is the epicentre of a new scramble—for critical minerals. Cobalt in the DRC. Lithium in Zimbabwe. Manganese in South Africa. Uranium in Niger. These minerals are vital for green transitions, digital economies and defence systems.

This is a double-edged sword. Without beneficiation and control, it risks becoming yet another curse of extraction. The PAP must lead in legislating for African-controlled supply chains—from mining to processing to manufacturing. Our minerals must power African industries, not just foreign ones.

Honourable Speakers

This is a historic opportunity.

In 2025, South Africa will host the African Diaspora Week—a covenant with our Sixth Region, recognised by the African Union. It will reaffirm Pan-Africanism and solidarity with our global family.

For the first time, Africa will also host the G20 Leaders’ Summit under South Africa’s Presidency. The African Union will participate as a full G20 member. This is not just diplomacy—it is a turning point.

Under the theme of Solidarity, Sustainability, Equality, the G20 must respond to the Global South’s real priorities:

• Debt cancellation and restructuring
• Climate justice and green financing
• Food and energy security
• Fair trade and digital inclusion
• Reform of global financial institutions

Africa’s voice must be heard. This is why the P20 Parliamentary Forum is essential. It brings this very Conference’s priorities into the heart of the G20 process. The PAP must make sure Africa’s agenda—peace, justice, development—is not a footnote, but a foundation.

Let us be clear: Diaspora Week and the G20 Summit are part of one Pan-African moment. A moment to unite at home, connect globally, and demand inclusion in world governance. This moment must not pass. It must be seized and shaped by Africa’s elected representatives.

Excellencies

In conclusion, the Pan-African Parliament must not whisper when history demands a roar. In a world scarred by war, racism, sexism, and disunity, Africa must be the beacon of justice, multilateralism and human dignity.

South Africa reaffirms its support for the PAP. May Ubuntu guide our deliberations. May our unity prove unbreakable. And may history record that when the world stood at a crossroads, Africa chose courage, dignity, and justice.

The Africa we build today must be an Africa our children will inherit with pride—an Africa of dignity, integration, inclusivity, prosperity, justice, and peace.

Ke a leboga. Enkosi. Dankie. Thank you. Asante sana. Shukran jazeelan. Obrigado. Gracias. Merci beaucoup.

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