From Kwaku Osei Bonsu, GNA Special Correspondent, Midrand, South Africa

Midrand, May 7, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Monday urged the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) to drive the continent's agenda of promoting respect for human rights and social justice to help uplift the image of the region.

Africa of today should play the vanguard role of respecting and upholding human rights within the continent generally and the component states of the Union, he said in his address at the opening of the Seventh Ordinary Session of the Parliament in Midrand, South Africa. President Kufuor, who is the Chairman of the African Union (AU) described as regrettable the situation in some countries where domestic policies were at complete variance with those principles.

The PAP is the legislative body of the AU, which exercises oversight and has advisory and consultative powers, and aims, among other things, at helping to engender peace, security and stability on the continent as well as ensure adherence to good governance, transparency and accountability, strengthen a sense of solidarity and build a common destiny among the peoples.

It has powers to examine and to express an opinion on any matter and make recommendations it may deem fit to the AU Assembly or other policy organs on matters relating to human rights, consolidation of democratic institutions and the rule of law.

The 265 parliamentary representatives are elected by the Parliaments of the 53 countries of the Union. President Kufuor asked the PAP to see itself as representing the rank and file of all Africans and must therefore influence the course of change for the better.

"Your work must be driven by our people's desire for economic emancipation, peace, stability and integration of the continent." He noted the economies of many African nations were now being better run with inflation at a historic low, averaging eight per cent per annum, while 27 had been projected to grow more than five per cent in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The past five years, he said, had also witnessed more than 200 per cent increase in direct investment inflows and said to sustain these positive developments, there needed to be continued peace and an improvement in the law and order situation.

He said the PAP should therefore accept to live up to its responsibilities despite the challenges and teething problems confronting it, adding that, the House should always deliberate being fully aware of the might of the continent it was representing. President Kufuor informed the Parliament that the Accra Summit of the AU in Accra would focus on the direction the African Union Government should take and enjoined the House to make it part of its remit to make vital contributions to the deliberations. He gave the assurance that the problem of budgetary constraints which, was undermining its effectiveness as an institution would be resolved by the Assembly of the Union by making more funds available for its work.

Madam Gertrude Mongella, President of the Parliament, announced that 47 out of the 53 AU countries had ratified the protocol establishing the PAP and said this was a significant step towards fulfilling the dream of African integration. She called on Heads of State and Governments to abide by decisions of the House, adding that, it should also be transformed from advisory to a full legislative organ.