Speaker Bagbin urges African legislatures to lead on Economic, Climate, and Security challenges at CoSPAL Summit
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has urged fellow African parliamentary leaders to take an active role in addressing global economic challenges, climate change impacts, and security threats affecting the continent.
He asserted that lawmakers must not remain on the sidelines but should be central to efforts in tackling these issues to fulfill the needs and aspirations of their constituents.
During the opening of the two-day Conference of Speakers and Presidents of African Legislatures (CoSPAL) in Accra, Bagbin highlighted that the role of legislative assemblies has been reshaped by global challenges, which require a proactive response.
“Our parliaments cannot sit aloof or operate on the fringes. We must be at the center of these efforts if we are to meet the needs of the people we represent,” he stated.
He called on attendees to approach discussions with optimism, aiming to create a strong, inclusive, and forward-thinking association, and to develop effective strategies to strengthen their parliaments’ legislative and oversight functions.
Bagbin also underscored the importance of collaboration in fostering trade, investment, and innovation to drive the continent’s economic development. “As Africans, we share a common destiny and face the same enemies of ignorance, poverty, and deprivation. No single country can address these challenges alone. Collective action is essential,” he noted.
The core agenda for the conference includes reviewing and adopting a Draft Constitution prepared by the Interim Technical Working Group (ITWG), established at the first General Assembly in Abuja, Nigeria, in May 2022.
CoSPAL, the first permanent platform of its kind, aims to unite African legislative leaders to support the continent’s growth and sustainable development. One of its main objectives is to expand parliamentary diplomacy by collaborating with executive branches, regional and international inter-parliamentary organizations, civil society, and the African Union.
Parliaments globally, and in Africa, play a vital role in socio-economic development and democratic governance through their representation, legislation, and oversight functions.
