The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) is set to elect a new five‑member bureau this week, marking a leadership transition following the end of the Sixth Bureau’s mandate on 28 February.
The Extraordinary Session of the Seventh Legislature will convene on Tuesday at the PAP headquarters in Midrand, South Africa, with the election scheduled for Thursday.
The new bureau will comprise a President and four Vice‑Presidents representing the African Union’s five regions in line with the African Union (AU’)s principle of equitable regional rotation.
According to PAP, the positions will be allocated as follows: President (North Africa), First Vice‑President (East Africa), Second Vice‑President (West Africa), Third Vice‑President (Central Africa) and Fourth Vice‑President (southern Africa).
The elected officials will serve a three‑year term.
The election will be overseen by AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, supported by a High‑Level Group mandated to ensure transparency and compliance with AU legal frameworks.
The transition follows the conclusion of the Sixth Bureau, which had been responsible for steering the institution through a period marked by internal reforms, renewed efforts to strengthen parliamentary oversight within the AU system and attempts to stabilise the institution after previous leadership disputes.
The bureau serves as PAP’s principal administrative and strategic body, managing the Parliament’s affairs and guiding its legislative and oversight functions.
PAP said the incoming bureau will be expected to provide continuity, reinforce institutional credibility and advance the parliament’s mandate of promoting good governance, human rights and continental integration.
The extraordinary session will also bring together parliamentarians from across the continent as PAP prepares for a new leadership cycle intended to strengthen its role within the African Union architecture.
JN/APA