Final communique of the Joint Statutory Meeting of Standing Committees under the Pan-African Parliament

FINAL COMMUNIQUE

We, Members of the Permanent Committee on Trade, Customs and Immigration Matters and the Committee on Transport, Industry, Communications, Energy, Science and Technology of the Pan-African Parliament,

ConsideringArticle 3 of the Constitutive Act of the African Union whose aims are, inter alia, to promote the participation of the African peoples in the decision-making process affecting their daily life, good governance and the protection of human rights, to facilitate the effective implementation of the policies and objectives of the African Union, and to contribute to the prosperity of the African peoples,

Meeting at the seat of the Moroccan Parliament in Rabat from 2 to 6 March 2020 for the statutory meetings of the Permanent Committees of the Pan-African Parliament to debate issues related to intra-African trade as part of the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), trade facilitation and the Moroccan customs system, personal data protection, and the digital economy,

Considering all legal frameworks adopted at the regional, continental and international levels for trade facilitation and the promotion of intra-African trade, in particular, the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Trade Facilitation and the Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (CFTA) signed in March 2018 in Kigali per decision Ext/Assembly/AU/Dec.1(x) of the African Union,

Noting the commitment of Heads of State and Government to boost intra-African trade and their interest in the development of the African continent,

Recalling Agenda 2063 of the African Union Commission, which embodies the vision of a continent where the free movement of people, capital, goods and services will significantly increase trade and investment among African countries and improve Africa's position in world trade,

Noting the obstacles in ratifying the Protocol to the Treaty establishing the African Economic Community relating to Free Movement of Persons, Right of Residence and Right of Establishment,

Considering the important role played by information and communication technologies in the social and economic development of Africa,

Concerned by the urgent need to set up a mechanism to deal with the risks arising from the use of electronic data and files on individuals, with a view to respecting privacy and freedoms while encouraging the promotion and development of ICTs in the member countries of the African Union,

Noting that a large number of African countries do not have an appropriate legislative framework for the management and protection of personal data,

Deeply concerned by the extent of cybercrime and the lack of legal frameworks for the protection of personal data in Africa,

ACCORDINGLY, HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

1. I.                  To stimulate intra-African trade:

1.1                     Recommend that the parliamentarians of non-signatory States should lobby their governments to sign and ratify the AfCFTA Agreement no later than 1 July 2020, date of entry into force of the Agreement;

1.2    Urgeparliamentarians to lobby their States to sign and ratify the Protocol to the Treaty establishing the African Economic Community relating to Free Movement of Persons, Right of Residence and Right of Establishment;

1.3                  UrgeAfrican States to expedite regional economic growth and strengthen scientific research in order to bridge the human resource gap ;

1.4            Recommendthat the Pan-African Parliament should draft a model law on the harmonization of tax and customs legislation in order to simplify the customs regime, facilitate trade among countries and promote the expansion of African companies through the development of value chains;

1.5           Recommend that Parliamentarians should raise awareness in their respective countries on the need to create on-line assistance platforms for approved economic operators;

1.6           Congratulate the Kingdom of Morocco on its outstanding record in trade facilitation;

1. II.               To protect personal data:

2.1           Recommend that parliamentarians lobby their governments about the need to sign, ratify and domesticate the African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection;

2.2Appeal to the Pan-African Parliament to urge African governments to develop national legal frameworks for the protection of personal data and set up a national authority responsible for their management;

2.3Further recommend to the Pan-African Parliament to invite the African Union to develop general regulations for the continent on the protection of personal data of African citizens and  companies. 

Adopted in Rabat, 6 March 2020