http://www.blackelectorate.com/print_article.asp?ID=1000 
>Pan-African Parliament Aims To Bring In Grassroots 
> 
> 
>Africa is about to establish its first ever pan-African parliament. 
>Within 30 days a single pan-African parliament is due to come into 
>force. 
> 
>But while the African Union (AU) hails the move, it admits there is a 
>lot of work to be done before the newly established parliament is up and 
>running. 
> 
>"This is an extremely important step for us," AU spokesman Desmond 
>Orjiako told IRIN. "It will enable all persons to have a forum where 
>they can air their views. 
> 
>"This is the first body to be set up and allow them to make an input 
>into how they are governed," he said from the AU headquarters in Addis 
>Ababa. 
> 
>KEY GOVERNANCE BODY 
> 
>As yet the parliament - which will have five members from each country - 
>has still to find a home. Libya, Egypt and South Africa are all vying to 
>host it. A decision is expected to be made early next year. 
> 
>The parliament - which is based on the European parliament - will also 
>become a key governance body of the AU and play a critical role in 
>shaping the future of the continent. 
> 
>It will also play an important role in the controversial "peer review" 
>system, whereby African leaders hold each other accountable for their 
>leadership. 
> 
>But AU officials say they are keen to avoid the pitfalls that have often 
>beset the European parliament by the differing opinions of national 
>parliaments. 
> 
>"The pan-African parliament will be a full legislative body," Orjiako 
>said. "Each member state will elect its representatives based on 
>elections in each country." 
> 
>"But it will only have consultative and advisory powers for the first 
>five years," he added. "It will not be able to make laws in the first 
>five years. 
> 
>"We are trying to avoid the problems faced by similar parliaments by 
>having this five year experimental period." 
> 
>The representation of each member state must also reflect the diversity 
>of political opinions in each national parliament, he said. 
> 
>The pan-African parliament will work in close cooperation with the 
>parliaments of the regional economic communities and the national 
>parliaments of member states. 
> 
>It will hold annual consultative forums with these economic communities 
>and national parliaments to discuss matters of common interest, Orjiako 
>said. 
> 
>GRASSROOTS INVOLVEMENT 
> 
>The AU is keen to ensure that the parliament is not a toothless body - 
>reminiscent of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was 
>finally dissolved last year. 
> 
>"It will eventually make laws and coordinate laws for the whole 
>continent and its decisions will override national parliaments," Orjiako 
>explained. "You will have to abide by its laws." 
> 
>At its heart, according to the AU, is ensuring "grassroots" involvement 
>by ordinary Africans in the laws that affect their future. 
> 
>There are 10 key bodies that make up the AU, of which the parliament is 
>one of the most crucial. A Peace and Security Council will be able to 
>intervene to prevent crimes against humanity in African countries. And a 
>Court of Justice will have jurisdiction over member states, while a 
>Central Bank will coordinate a single African economic policy. 
> 
>Lack of financial resources has often been at the root of the many 
>problems faced by the defunct OAU, but Orjiako played down fiscal 
>hurdles. 
> 
>By its sheer size - some 30 million sq km - and a population of 811 
>million people, the AU believes the continent will be a global 
>powerhouse. 
> 
>It also aims to tap the enormous African Diaspora - more than 80 million 
>Nigerians live outside the country alone. 
> 
>But the continent's gross domestic product of US $612,916 million is 
>dwarfed by the combined debt of Africa - a colossal US $305 billion. And 
>already, the AU has inherited more than $40 million in debt from its 
>predecessor. 
> 
>Orjiako says that funding for the parliament will come from AU member 
>states, but he acknowledged that the AU might need support from the 
>international community. 
> 
>"Our partners are interested in African democracy and will support this 
>system," he said. 
> 
> 
>© UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2003 
> 

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