The President of the Pan African Parliament (PAP), Chief Fortune Zephania Charumbira, has called on global parliamentary leaders attending the 11th G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit (P20) to turn words into action, warning that continued inaction would reduce such gatherings to “wasteful talk shows”.
Speaking during a working session convened under the theme “Strengthening Disaster Resilience and Responses”, Chief Charumbira said global development challenges were worsening, despite years of parliamentary summits.
“Although we have been meeting under the auspices of the P20 since 2010, global development challenges are getting worse and not better,” he said.
He cited examples including the continued rise in global warming, lack of consensus on climate financing, growing food and energy insecurity, and ongoing armed conflicts—particularly in Africa—despite commitments to silence the guns.
“Despite convening 29 COP meetings to date, global warming continues to increase unabated, and there is no agreement to date on climate financing.Notwithstanding the commitment to ‘Silence the Guns’, armed conflicts, terrorism, violent extremism, and unconstitutional changes of government continue to rear their ugly heads,” he said.
Chief Charumbira emphasised the need for inclusive policymaking and warned that the Executive alone could not solve global crises.
“Speakers and Presiding Officers, as the epicentre of representative democracy, must demonstrate the value of their inclusion in the G20 architecture by making a visible impact,” he said.
The PAP President also warned against the erosion of multilateralism and the rise of “transactionalism” in global politics, urging world leaders to embrace shared values.
“Multilateralism is premised on the rule of law, while transactionalism is guided by selfish interests. Values should underpin everything we do, more so the value of Ubuntu – I am because we are.Guided by the spirit of Ubuntu, we will be the proverbial brother’s keeper and look out for each other’s interests instead of our own,” said Chief Charumbira.
The summit, held at the Arabella Golf Resort in Kleinmond, Western Cape, is the first P20 convened on African soil. It is also the first to be preceded by a Youth P20 Summit, highlighting the continent’s growing role in shaping global policy.
Chief Charumbira welcomed the African Union’s recent admission into the G20, stating that Africa’s rising demographic and economic influence must be matched by equal representation.
“The people’s voice must be central to decision-making. Parliaments must not just talk — they must act,” he concluded.
The summit continues under the theme “Harnessing Parliamentary Diplomacy for the Realisation of Global Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability.”
