President Mongella to officially open 3rd session of PAP: 29 March

28 March 2005

The President of the Pan-African Parliament, Gertrude Mongella, will tomorrow (Tuesday, 29 March 2005) officially open the Third Session of the Pan-African Parliament at its temporary home in Gallagher Estate, Midrand, South Africa.

The opening of the Third Session will also coincide with the launch of the Pan-African Parliament website (www.pan-african-parliament.org). This will also mark the first full year of operation since the PAP was launched in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The programme for the day is as follows:

09:30 – 09:35 Traditional Welcome
09:35 – 10:00 Arrival of Guests, Parliamentary Speakers and Bureau members
10:00 – 10:10 Ceremony begins Meditation and Personal Prayer
10:10 – 10:40 Solidarity Speeches
10:40 – 11:45 Keynote Address (by H.E Gertrude I Mongella, MP, President of the PAP) Drummers' Performance
11:45 - Lunch Launch of the website and cocktail

(Programme concludes)
17:00 – 17:45 Media Briefing by the Bureau (President and Vice-Presidents) at the Lotus

Below is the Agenda for the Third Session (daily programmes will be provided at the media briefing)

Agenda for the Third Session

1. Official Opening of the Third Session by HE Ambassador Gertrude Mongella, President of the PAP
2. Election of the 4th Vice-President of the Pan-African Parliament
3. President's Annual Report on the operations of the PAP
4. Report on the Approved 2005 PAP Budget
5. Establishment of the PAP Trust Fund
6. Consideration and approval of the management structure of the PAP
7. Peace and Security in Africa

1.  Darfur
2. Report by the African Union

8. Consideration and approval of the 2005 PAP Work Plan
9. Report on the implementation of NEPAD's African Peer Review Mechanism
10. Towards achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals in Africa
11. Debate and Resolutions on the Reform of the UN Security Council
12. Resolving Communication and Transport problems in Africa
13. Special Report by the Committee on Rural Economy, Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment
14. Combating Aids in Africa.

All media are reminded that accreditation will be opened everyday until the end of the Third Session. For security purposes, media without accreditation will not be allowed into the Session.

Enquiries
Pule Motingoa
Cell: 072 659 6901

Khuitse Diseko
Cell: 072 410 5880

Issued by: Government Communications (GCIS)