An Africa Legislative Summit for parliamentarians has been floated to promote integration in the continent and deepen democracy for the benefit of the citizenry.
The Summit is expected to bring together legislators from African countries and other parts of the world for the purpose of exchange of experience and fostering understanding of issues of common interest to emerging legislators.
The President of the Senate, Senator David Mark inaugurated the steering committee tagged: ” Management Committee of African Legislative Summit 2013″ to organize the maiden Edition in November, 2013 in his office in Abuja, Nigeria.
Inaugurating the nine-man Committee headed by Senate Leader, Senator Ndoma Egba, Senator Mark explained that the Summit which is the first of its kind in Africa is meant to give National Assembly the leadership role in facilitating exchange of ideas between legislative and the executive arm of governments at the continental level.
The Summit will feature discussions on legislative oversight, expanding bilateral and regional trade in Africa through legislation among others.
According to Mark, “the Summit will discuss issues of common interest that will improve and deepen democracy as well as opportunities to exchange ideas with other parliaments especially advanced democracies.
“It is a beautiful idea that we must pursue to its logical conclusion. There will be challenges we should be prepared to face to ensure the success of the Summit.”
For success of the programme, Senator Mark asked the committee to collaborate with the Executive arms of government in order to come up with a blue print that would make the programme a huge success.
He added that the approach of the executive and the legislature to administration may differ but ultimately, “we all have a common goal and that is the welfare and security of the citizenry”.
Responding on behalf of the members of the Committee, its Chairman, Senator Victor Ndoma Egba said the Summit would deepen democracy and foster mutual cooperation between and among parliamentarians in Africa.
He said time has past when diplomacy was the prerogative of the executive of arms of government, pointing out that recent developments have shown that parliaments are in the forefront of integration and cooperation in the world.
