The Speaker of the National Assembly, Rt. Hon. Fabakary Tombong Jatta, has called on African parliaments to seize the current moment of global transformation and assert the continent’s rightful place in international decision-making.
Speaking at the 3rd Annual General Meeting of the Conference of Speakers and Presidents of African Legislatures (CoSPAL), Speaker Jatta described the present era, marked by a crisis of multilateralism, the emergence of new economic blocs, mounting climate pressures, and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, as a defining moment in which Africa’s voice can no longer remain marginalised.
“For far too long, Africa has been cast as a spectator in the theatre of global affairs, or worse, as a subject of decisions taken elsewhere. That era must come to an end,” the Speaker declared.
While advocating for a stronger African presence on the global stage, Speaker Jatta also expressed deep concern over democratic regression in parts of the continent. He strongly condemned the resurgence of military coups and unconstitutional changes of government, stressing that the remedy lies in building strong, independent, and principled parliaments capable of ensuring equitable resource distribution and holding the Executive to account.
The Speaker further argued that in today’s complex international environment, the traditional doctrine that confines foreign policy exclusively to the Executive is no longer sufficient. He called for the proactive use of parliamentary diplomacy, noting that elected representatives possess a unique moral authority and flexibility that conventional diplomacy often lacks.
He urged Speakers to utilise platforms such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), and the ECOWAS Parliament not as ceremonial forums, but as strategic instruments of influence capable of preventing conflict, advancing shared interests, and speaking difficult truths.
In concluding, Speaker Jatta called for reforms of global governance institutions, highlighting what he described as the historical injustice of Africa, a continent of over 1.3 billion people, remaining without a permanent seat or veto power on the United Nations Security Council.
He urged African legislatures to adopt common resolutions and present a unified continental front on the matter, emphasising that if the global order is changing, it must evolve in favour of inclusion, fairness, and justice.
Reaffirming The Gambia’s position, Speaker Jatta stated that Africa must no longer be treated as a pawn on the global chessboard, adding that “the only conquest we seek is the conquest of development, dignity, and shared prosperity.”
About the Author
