[This is the version of this document from 16 May 2013.]
PURSUANT to the provisions of Article 3 (6) of the Protocol to the Treaty establishing the Pan African parliament which request to "contribute to a more prosperous future for the peoples of Africa by promoting collective self-reliance and economic recovery";ACKNOWLEDGING the Memorandum of Understanding between the New partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Heads of State and Government implementation Committee and the Africa Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) on the challenges posed by wide spread poverty to Africa in the midst of richly endowed human and natural resources;CONVINCED that poverty can only be effectively tackled through the promotion of democracy, good governance, peace and security, development of human and physical resources, gender equality, openness to international trade and investment, allocation of appropriate funds to the social sector of the economy, increased partnership between Government and the Private Sector with the Private Sector playing a pivotal role;CONSCIOUS of the need to support the African Union Agenda 2063 which seeks amongst others to eliminate poverty and malnutrition and guarantee food security on the continent with special attention to Women;NOTING with concern that ineffective policy and programme implementation over the years is attributable to lack of strong political will and corruption at various levels of government coupled with weak accountability mechanisms;RECOGNISING the need to initiate and implement as a matter of urgency home grown pragmatic policies and programmes based on the Millennium Development Goals;STRESSING the importance of the Maputo Declaration of 2003 on Agriculture and Food Security in Africa, in particular the commitment to devote 10% of the national budget to the implementation of agricultural and rural development policies;AWARE of the challenges associated with access to land by the poor, especially women;CONCERNED about the increasing challenge of youth unemployment due to lack of employable skills;The pan-African Parliament hereby resolves:1.that Poverty eradication policy and strategy development debates be held during each PAP Ordinary Session;2.To compile positive poverty eradication case studies from member states into a special PAP publication to be launched as part of the activities in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the AU as an instrument indicating that, poverty can indeed be eradicated. It is further agreed that the launch be held during the next Pan African Parliament Ordinary Session scheduled from October 21 to November 01, 2013; and3.To appoint an eminent person as the PAP Special Goodwill Ambassador on poverty eradication.4.To lobby for the effective implementation of the Maputo Declaration of 2003 on Agriculture and Food Security in Africa;Done in Midrand on the 16 May 2013
