The International Conference on Africa Parliamentary Knowledge Network took place in Cairo, Egypt, on 4 and 5 June 2008.

Building upon the results of the Conference held in Abuja, Nigeria, in March 2007, the Conference was co-organized, under the aegis of the Pan-African Parliament, by the People’s Assembly of Egypt and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA).

The Conference brought together delegations from the Pan-African Parliament and the Parliaments of Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe as well as delegations from the SADC Parliamentary Forum and the East African Parliamentary Assembly.

The sharing of experience in the Conference benefited from the participation of officials from the Senate of France, the United States National Conference of State Legislatures, and representatives of the United Nations and of African and European universities. Building upon the results of the Conference held in Abuja, Nigeria, in March 2007, on these matters;

Participants reiterated the need for the establishment of the Africa Parliamentary Knowledge Network for sharing knowledge, experiences and practices among parliamentary administrations of African assemblies to better meet their representative, legislative and oversight responsibilities.

Participants agreed on the text of the Charter for the Africa Parliamentary Knowledge Network to be submitted to their respective parliaments for endorsement. They committed to work with their parliament’s authorities to communicate the endorsement to the interim secretariat.

Participants welcomed the offer of the People’s Assembly of Egypt to host the interim Secretariat of the Africa Parliamentary Knowledge Network and collaborate with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs until the establishment of a permanent Secretariat.

Participants also welcomed the offer of support made by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, through the Africa i-Parliaments Action Plan, for strengthening the Africa Parliamentary Knowledge Network.

H.E. Dr. Ahmed Fathy Sorour
Speaker of the People’s Assembly of Egypt