The Role of the Inter-parliamentary Union in Strengthening Parliaments in Africa
ABSTRACT
The parliament, as one of the institutions of democracy, is unique. For democracy to take root, citizens need ways to make their voices heard and incorporated them into policy decisions.
Parliaments provide such ways to articulate popular will. They serve as the people’s branch of government alongside the executive and the judicial branches as necessary institutions for democratic good governance.
Parliaments in Africa face enormous capacity challenges, especially in countries where a strong executive or the military has dominated the political system.
In such circumstances, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has been a leader in developing strategies and tools to assist parliaments in effectively performing their fundamental tasks of representation, lawmaking, and oversight.
Consequently, the study focuses on an overview of the IPU experience in parliamentary strengthening in Africa with particular emphasis on Nigeria.
It describes what the IPU has done and is doing to promote responsive and effective parliaments in Africa and highlights ways in which improved parliamentary performance has strengthened democracy in Africa.
Our findings revealed that the effort of the IPU at strengthening parliaments in Africa includes building support for democratic reforms within Parliaments;
improving the capacity of Members of Parliaments in lawmaking; enhancing legislative oversight of the executive branch, ensuring sound management, and improving infrastructure at development.
INTRODUCTION
Democratization and transnationalisation are two fundamental trends in the evolution of international affairs. In parliamentary affairs, they come as international parliamentary institutions.
They provide multilateral fora where parliamentarians and staff learn from each other to advance their skills, knowledge and share experiences. The emergence of international parliamentary institutions has given rise to parliamentary diplomacy.
One such international parliamentary institution is the IPU. It is an international organization with membership from the Parliaments of democratic countries1.
It represents the legislative branch of government on a global scale. It was founded in 1889 by William Rander Cremer of the United Kingdom and Frederic Passey of France who was parliamentarians. Its headquarters is located in Geneva.
Its objectives include fostering peace and security among its members; promoting democracy and respect for human rights and contributing to the development and strengthening of parliamentary institutions.
In the pursuit of these objectives, it brings together representatives of national parliaments to discuss issues of mutual concern. The organization has more than 100 members.
It is a precursor to one of the most prestigious international legal institutions, the (ICT), which is one of the organs of the United Nations.
The IPU has been performing exceedingly well since its inception. This is discernible from the remarkable interventions it has made in strengthening parliamentary institutions, especially in Africa.
REFERENCES
Ojo, T.I., The Nigerian Legislature: A Historical Survey (Lagos, Ascon Press, 1997).
Dunmoye, A.A. et al (eds.) The National Assembly: Pillar of Democracy (Abuja, National Secretariat of
Nigerian Legislatures, 2007)
Nwabueze, B.O., The Presidential Constitution, (Enugu, C. Hurst & Company, 1982)
Nwabueze, B.O., Constitutional Democracy in Africa. (Ibadan, Spectrum Books Ltd., 2004)
Chinwo, C.A.J., Principles and Practice of Constitutional Law in Nigeria. (Port-Harcourt, Davis Printing
& Packaging Co. Ltd., 2007)
Yakubu, J.A., Constitutional Law in Nigeria. (Ibadan, Demyaxs Law Books, 2003).
Barkan, J. ’’ Bringing Home the Pork: Legislator behaviour, Rural Development and Political Change in
East Africa’’in J. Smith and L.D. Musolf, eds, Legislatures in Development: Dynamics of change in old
and new States ( Durham, Duke University Press, 1979) p. 125.
Thomas M.A. and O. Sissokho ‘’ Laison Legislature. The role of the National Assembly in Senegal’’
Journal of Modern African Studies’’ ( 2005) Vol. 43. No. 1. p. 97.
CSN Team.
