9Th CONSULTATION MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF SENATES, SHOORA AND EQUIVALENT COUNCILS IN AFRICA AND THE ARAB WORLD (ASSECAA)
BUJUMBURA (Burundi), September 19-20, 2022
REPORT OF THE 9TH CONSULTATION MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF SENATES, SHOORA AND EQUIVALENT COUNCILS OF AFRICA AND THE ARAB WORLD (ASSECAA)
1.INTRODUCTION
On September 19 and 20, 2022, there was held the 9th Meeting of the Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils of Africa and the Arab World (ASSECAA) in Bujumbura, economic capital of Burundi. That meeting was attended by nineteen delegations. These delegations which participated in the 9th consultation Meeting of the Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils of Africa and the Arab World are the following:
1. The delegation of the Republic of Burundi, led by His Excellency Emmanuel SINZOHAGERA, President of the Senate of the Republic of Burundi;:
2. The delegation of the House of Councilors of Morocco, led by His Excellency Enaam MAYARA, President of that House and Chairman of ASSECAA;
3. The delegation of the Democratic Republic of Congo led by His Excellency Modeste BAHATI LUKWEBO, Senate Speaker ;
4. The delegation of the Republic of Rwanda led by His Excellency Augustin IYAMUREMYE, Senate Speaker ;
5. The delegation of the Republic of South Soudan led by His Excellency DENG DEND AKOON, Speaker of the Senate;
6. The delegation of the Kingdom of ESWATINI led by Her Excellency Lindiwe DLAMINI, Senate Speaker, and all members of her delegation;
7. The delegation of the Republic of Zimbabwe led by Her Excellency Mabel CHINOMONA, Senate Speaker, and all members of her delegation;
8. The delegation of the Kingdom of Bahrain led Honourable Jamal Mohamed Abdulhman FAKIRO, First Deputy-Speaker of the Shoora Council of the Kingdom of Bahrain ;
9. The delegation of the State of Qatar led by Honourable Nasser Methrif Al HEAIDI, Head of Delegation of the Shoora Council of the State of Qatar;
10. The delegation of the Kingdom of Saoudi Arabia led Honourable Dr. Hisham Al-Fares, Head of Delegation of the Shoora Council of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia;
11. The delegation of the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria led by Honourable Omar Dadi Addoun, Head of Delegation of the Council of the Nation of the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria;
12. The delegation of the united Arab Emirates led by Honourable Adnan Hamad ALHAMMADI, Head of Delegation of the Federal National Council of the United Arab Emirates;
13. The delegation of Lybia, led by Honourable Dr. Basheer Al-Hosh, Head of Delegation of the Libyan Council of State;
14. The delegation of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, led Honourable Abdullahi Kabira BARKIYA, Head of Delegation of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria;
15. The delegation of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, led by Honourable Asumu Mum Munoz Anastasio, Head of Delegation of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea;
16. The delegation of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, led by Honourable Fanny MOUSSOKOURA Chantal, Deputy Speaker of the Senate of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire;
17. The delegation of the Republic of Algeria, led by Honourable Snowe Jr EDWIM MELVIN, Head of Delegation of the Republic of Liberia;
18. The delegation of the Arab Republic of Egypt, represented by Ambassador Yasser Elsayed Mohamed ELATAWI, Representive of the Speaker of the Senate of the Arab Republic of Egypt;
19. A delegation of the Secretariat General of ASSECAA, led by Mister Abdulwasie YUSSUF, Secretary General.
Themes which were under analysis during the Consultation Meeting of the Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils of Africa and the Arab World
The meeting was centered on two themes which are :
1.The effects and repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic on Arab-African economies and government responses”;
2.The Russian-Ukrainian war and its effects on supply chains, energy and food prices”.
I. OPENING CEREMONIES
The opening ceremonies started with a prayer dedicated to God the Almighty. That prayer was successively presented successively by the representative of Christian Churches and the one of Islam. The two preachers thanked the Eternal Master of creation and begged him to bless Burundi, her leaders as well as all the guests who came to take part in the 9th Consultation Meeting of ASSECAA. They implored God to guide participants during their relexions and exchanges so that the meeting lead to good results.
The prayer was followed by a speech of the Mayor of the town of Bujumbura, the Police Brigadier General, Jimmy HATUNGIMANA. In his remark, the Mayor of Bujumbura greeted participants and wished them a good stay and full success in the activity which occupied them during the two days.
A welcome speech for participants was delivered by the Right Honourable Emmanuel SINZOHAGERA, Speaker of the Senate of the Republic of Burundi. He first of all thanked the Deputy President of the Republic of Burundi who had sacrificed his numerous duties to come to these opening ceremonies of the 9th Consultation Meeting of the Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils of Africa and the Arab World.
The Honourable Speaker of the Senate of the Republic of Burundi greeted delegations present at the 9th Meeting of ASSECAA, recalling the themes which were on the agenda of the Meeting.
The Speaker of Burundi Senate indicated that this 9th Meeting would mark a decisive step in the awareness of th the urgent need to face the challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian war. He hoped that these deliberations would allow good interactions between the participants to guarantee the emergence of complementary and constructive opinions.
PHOTO of Right Honourable Emmanuel SINZOHAGERA delivering his welcome Speech at the opening of the 9th Consultation Meeeting of the A ssociationof Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils of Africa and The Arab World.
The speech of the Senate Speaker was followed by a remark of the the current Speaker of ASSECAA, i, Mister EEnaam MAYARA, Speaker of the House of Councilors of Morocco,
In his remark, he thanked Burundian authorities, more particulrly His Excellency Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE, President of the Republic of Burundi, for having kindly accepted to host the holding of the 9th Meeting of ASSECAA. He also appreciated the warm welcome from which all the delegations benefited, as well as the good organisation of the meeting which permitted a good working environment.
He ended his speech hoping that participants would take advatange of all the good working conditions during the two day to reach good results.
PHOTO of the Speaker of the House of Councilors of the Kingdom of Morocco delivering his speech during the opening ceremonies of the 9th Consultation Meeting of the Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils of Africa and Arab World.
The opening discourse of the meeting of ASSECAA was delivered by His Excellency Deputy President of the Republic of Burundi, Mister Prosper BAZOMANZA. He indicated himself that was the spokesperson of His Excellency Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE, President of the Republic of Burundi, who was impeded for reasons of service.
In his speech, Mister BAZOMBANZA affirmed before those nice delegations of ASSECAA that their presence in Bujumbura constitutes a tribute to Burundi.
Objectives of the 9th Consultation Meeting of the Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils of Africa and the Arab World
Recalling the themes of the 9th Meeting of ASSECAA, His Excellency Deputy President of the Republic highlighted the triple objective of the holding of that meeting:
- Promote Afro-Arab debate, dialogue and consultation on strategic and priority issues in the African and Arab regions, and better understand the repercussions caused by the covid-19 pandemic as well as the Russian-Ukrainian war and the consequences observed so far on countries' economies, supply chains, energy and food prices, and propose solutions;
PHOTO of His Excellency Vice President of the Republic of Burundi delivering the opening speech of the 9th Meeting of ASSECAA
- Set up a parliamentary economic diplomacy which will explore the ways and means of strengthening Afro-Arab economic cooperation in a strategic, participatory, integrated and development perspective based on the strengthening of economic, commercial and humanitarian ties between Africa and the Arab World ;
- Share knowledge and experiences between parliamentarians through the presentation of good practices and lessons learned with a view to elaborating and mitigating the economic impacts of covid-19 and the repercussions of the Russian-Ukrainian war on the economies of the countries in Africa and the Arab world.
His Excellency Deputy President of the Republic ended his remark wishing full success to the activities of this 9th consultation meeting of the Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent councils in Africa and the Arab World (ASSECAA).
II. SYNTHESIS OF PRESENTATIONS
The 9th Consultation Meeting of the Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils in Africa and the Arab World was led by two university researchers on two well-chosen themes, namely:
1° The effects and repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic on Arab-African economies and government responses;
2° The Russian-Ukrainian war and its effects on supply chains, energy and food prices.
Each theme had both an economic and a political component. Thus, Mr. Aloys BATUNGWANAYO, Researcher and doctoral student in Social and Political Sciences at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland developed the political aspects of the two themes while Professor Léonidas NDAYIZEYE, Doctor in Economics, exploited the economic aspects and identified lessons learned.
III.1. The Effects and Repercussions of the Coronavirus Pandemic on Arab- African Economies and Government Responses: Political Aspects
Since the end of the second war in 1945, the terrestrial globe had never been shaken except for the years 2020 and 2022. At the end of this war, two winning blocs were born. They have become the policemen of the world. This is the Eastern bloc represented by part of the allies, led by the USSR, and the Western bloc, the other part of the allies represented by the USA.
There are two blocks initially ideological at the political level but which will also evolve into economic blocks. It was capitalist liberalism and socialism mixed with a dose of communism.
From allies to defeat Hitler's Germany, these two blocs became antagonists until they fueled what they called "the Cold War".
As much as the World War had repercussions outside the peoples directly concerned, the Cold War will have repercussions beyond the borders of the two blocs. If those peoples not directly involved in the world war have somehow been on the battlefield; they took a different attitude during the cold war. Thus, some African and Asian countries created in Bandong what they called the “Non-Aligned Movement”.
The purpose of the organization defined in the "Havana Declaration" of 1979 is to ensure "the national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of the non-aligned countries in their struggle against imperialism, colonialism, neo-colonialism, segregation, racism, and any form of foreign aggression, occupation, domination, interference or hegemony by great powers or political blocs" and to promote solidarity between third world peoples. The organization, whose headquarters are in Lusaka, Zambia, brings together nearly two-thirds of the members of the UN and 55% of the world's population.
The collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989 followed by the decomposition of the Eastern bloc will mark the end of the Cold War.
Since then, a unipolar world, policeman of the world has prevailed to the chagrin of both the Eastern bloc and the non-aligned movement. The “covid shock” and the war in Ukraine have come to show that the multipolar world is rising from its ashes. This health crisis officially started in China has divided the planet earth. It provoked accusations between countries, speculations and other various reactions. But let's ask ourselves some questions to try to understand the ins and outs of this pandemic:
a) COVID 19, is it a simple pandemic or a bacteriological weapon?
b) Why does it officially break out in China?
c) Were the barrier measures decided by the WHO effective at the global level?
d) Why did each power seek to manufacture its own vaccine?
III.2. The Russian-Ukrainian War and Its Effects on Supply Chains, Energy and Food Prices”: Political Aspects
As for the war in Ukraine which broke out on February 24, 2022 with a Russian military offensive in Ukraine. This war seemed to surprise Westerners who perhaps no longer thought of an armed international conflict on their territory. They were used to proxy wars, western attacks on African and Asian countries. We will remember Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq...
Adding to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war launched by Vladimir Putin against Ukraine is already having a major negative impact on the progress of the world. And she is likely to have it even more in the future.
The consequences of both the pandemic and the war against Ukraine are indeed much greater in the countries of the South than in the rich countries. These two crises combined in a very short time have called into question the slow movement of convergence in living standards on a global scale observed for several decades.
The war on Ukraine is causing what is known as global “stagflation,” combining high inflation and economic stagnation, even recession. That situation had not been seen since the 1970s. It was accompanied in fact by a rapid and brutal rise in inflation under the pressure of the rise in the prices of foodstuffs, energy and of the main raw materials.
Admittedly, inflation had already increased throughout 2021 due to the increase in demand caused by the post-COVID-19 economic recovery and the persistent disruptions in many supply chains following the pandemic. However, it has accelerated markedly since the outbreak of war in Ukraine. And even more in the countries of the South than in the developed countries.
II.3. The Effects and Repercussions of the Coronavirus Pandemic on Arab- African Economies and Government Responses: Economic Aspects
Originated in the town of Wuhan, in the province of Hubei, China, the covid -19 has thereafter rapidly spread throughout the entire world, causing a human tragedy and enormous economic disasters. It thus showed how economic activities can be disrupted: almost all countries have, to varying degrees, suspended international flights, instituted quarantine for people entering the country and closed land or sea borders. In many countries, measures such as confinements have been taken, which have had the effect of limiting the movement of goods and people. Even though this pandemic has affected all parts of the world, its socio-economic impact has been very different from region to region and country to country.
For Africa and the Arab world, these two parts of the world have an important point of similarity: they are highly dependent on raw materials for export and a high level of exposure to international shocks. With containment, global activity fell sharply, and so did the demand for these raw materials.
Thus, in Africa, per capita income in most African countries is projected to remain below pre-pandemic levels, at least until 2023 (WB (2022). And poverty levels, measured at $1.90 per day, fell from 34% before the pandemic to 39% (African Economic Outlook 2021).
In the Arab world, the Arab Human Development Report (UNDP 2022) indicates that in the first year of the pandemic, existing large budget deficits widened further across the region. In 2020, the average overall deficit widened by 7% to 9.2% of GDP, while in 2021 the region's average fiscal deficit narrowed to 2.3%, a deficit that , according to the IMF, is expected to turn into a surplus of 4.1% of GDP in 2022. Large budget deficits have increased public debt, worsening an already vulnerable debt situation.
Thus, in 2020, the region's overall average public debt peaked at 60% of GDP, an increase of around 13% compared to 2019, and net foreign direct investment (FDI) flows to the region declined. 6% in 2020.
Also, in 2021, the region had the highest youth unemployment rate (15-24 years) in the world, at 28.6%, a sharp increase from 25.3% in 2019. young women was also the highest in the world, and more than double that of young men, reaching 49.1% in 2021 compared to 44.7% in 2019 (compared to 23.8% among young men in 2021 and 20.8 % in 2019).
In conclusion, African countries and the Arab world should draw lessons from this crisis to highlight industrial, monetary, social, etc. policies. which have worked and made economies resilient and which have failed. This ambitious goal requires re-examining not only the types of responses made during the initial and middle phases of the pandemic, but also the structural features that have shaped those responses and will continue to shape them in the future.
II.4. The Russian-Ukrainian War and Its Effects on Supply Chains, Energy and Food Prices”: Economic aspects
Since February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. Russia, the world's 13th economic power in terms of GDP, holds 17 and 7% of gas and oil reserves respectively. It is the world's leading exporter of natural gas (20% of the total in 2019), the world's second largest oil exporter (11%) and the world's third largest coal exporter (15%) (IEA, 2022). It also ranks first in the world for exports of nitrogen fertilizers, second for those of potash fertilizers and third for those of phosphorus fertilizers (FAO, 2022), and it has been origin of more than 15% of world fertilizer exports in 2020 (UNCTAD, 2022).
For its part, Ukraine, the 61st largest economy in the world in terms of GDP, is among the largest producers of cereals in the world (wheat, barley, rye, and oats). It represents in market share on the international scene 10 to 12% of wheat, 15 to 20% of corn (it is the world's largest producer), 20 to 25% of barley and rapeseed, as well as 50% to 60% of world exports of sunflower oil and meal. Ukraine is also rich in mining (iron, magnesium, manganese, etc.) and energy (coal, natural gas, oil) resources. But most of the important deposits are in the east of the country, in a region called the Donbass, as well as in Crimea, parts annexed by Russia.
Together, Russia and Ukraine are major players in the energy, food and fertilizer sectors. That is to say that the two countries are in fact the breadbasket of the world for wheat and corn, but also many other agricultural and non-agricultural products. It is therefore not surprising that international markets have overreacted to this war given that these products have been difficult to get out of Ukraine since the beginning of the crisis and that Russia is hit with various sanctions.
In Africa, thirty-eight of the 45 countries of sub-Saharan Africa are net importers of oil,
a rise in world prices translates for these countries into an increase in the import bill, transport costs and the prices of most goods. In the Arab world, many countries including Egypt, Lebanon, Yemen and many others, the Ukrainian war means that there will be less bread on the family table, these countries essentially importing Russian wheat, which could provoke popular uprisings.
Obviously, this crisis highlights the need to always diversify its supply chains and to preserve, if possible, national sovereignty in areas as sensitive as food, in particular by favoring subsistence agriculture to reduce the degree of dependence on the outside.
III. DEBATE AND EXCHANGE
The presentations on the two themes were followed by exchanges and debates. During the exchanges and debates, the delegations:
• Thanked the Government of the Republic of Burundi for having accepted to host the work of the 9th Consultation Meeting of the ASSECAA and appreciated the warm welcome that was given to them;
• Recognized the particular contribution of the current President of ASSECAA in the management of the Association;
• Expressed their gratitude to the Burundian Senate for having successfully invested in the preparation of the logistics of the session and the communications relating to the two (2) themes of reflection namely: 1° The effects and repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic on the Arab-African economies and the response of the governments; as well as 2° The Russian-Ukrainian war and its repercussions on the chains of supply, the prices of energy and foods;
• Confirmed that ASSECAA offers them an appropriate space to help each other to develop diplomacy and parliamentary cooperation;
• Unanimously noted that the Covid-19 crisis and the Russian-Ukrainian war have produced obvious negative effects on the Arab-African economies, including the disruption of oil prices, a decline in global demand for oil, a decline in domestic tourism, a limitation on the movement of people, a decline of incomes per habitant, a disruption of supply chains and global trade to Africa and the Arab world, and an increase in poverty;
• Deplored the fact that the Russian-Ukrainian war has been accompanied by an increase in food prices, a worsening of Arab-African food security, inflation with a definite impact on particularly delicate economies, and confrontation between the great powers with repercussions on the rest of the world, especially on African and Arab countries;
• Noted together that ASSECAA member countries have committed themselves in a diversified way to face the Covid-19 pandemic notably through direct measures of income support, postponement or temporary relief of debts, rational management of barrier measures (containment, wearing of mask, vaccination, etc.);
• Shared together the concern to plan without delay strategies to face the consequences of the Russian-Ukrainian war or minimize them as much as possible;
• Wish to promote together as member countries of ASSECAA a united area for development based on the various potentialities that each other present in the agricultural, energy, commercial fields,.. ;
• Agree on the idea that the crises of Covid-19 and the Russian-Ukrainian war are opportunities for ASSECAA to rethink the way of managing the crises in the perspective of the cooperation of the senates in order to establish mechanisms to guarantee the populations a good economic survival thanks to the food security and the cross-border and regional trade;
• Expressed their commitment to share the experiences of the functioning of their institutions and the strategies implemented to prevent and deal with crises as soon as they occur;
• Unanimously adopted the final communiqué of the 9th Consultation Meeting of the Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils of Africa and the Arab World.
After exchanges and debates, the following recommendations were formulated by the participants:
Recommendations addressed to ASSECAA:
- Transmit the recommendations of this meeting to the respective governments for their implementation;
- Strengthen the parliamentary diplomacy of ASSECAA member countries;
- Participate in the inter-parliamentary meeting session to be held in Kigali in October 2022;
- Collaborate to write our own history.
Recommendations to African and Arab governments:
- Take advantage of the current covid-19 and Russian-Ukrainian war crises to establish and activate strategic partnerships to ensure Arab-African food and energy security ;
- To reassess medical services in African and Arab countries and make them more efficient in order to find African and Arab solutions related to African and Arab realities;
- Invest in research to build an African and Arab world that is designed on the improved model of these two worlds;
- Redefine the concept of Arab-African security and include food security as one of its components;
- Reconsider the concept of food security, which has not yet been a priority in the agendas of international organizations or institutions, with a view to achieving food self-sufficiency for all Arab and African countries by increasing the level of production and developing staple crops;
- Study the possibilities and opportunities of Arab and African food integration in order to improve food security for all countries in the region;
- To this end, invest in joint agricultural projects given the availability of huge financial surpluses, vast arable lands, resources and diverse experiences in several fields related to the food production process which is lacking in integration;
- Prepare a series of measures to deal with the consequences of the current global rise in the price of basic foodstuffs and fuel;
- Diversify the sources of food imports, especially wheat;
- Establish a center of reflection for the exchange of economic information and a common market between African and Arab countries;
- Strengthen regional and cross-border trade;
- Expand or increase social protection systems so that every person can enjoy his or her rights to an adequate standard of living, including the right to food and the right to social security;
- Increase domestic production and reduce imports;
- To this end, invest in the agricultural sector to secure the needs of countries and not make them vulnerable to strong variations in market prices due to various political or economic shocks;
- Take advantage of the current crisis to establish and activate strategic partnerships, to use the capacities and opportunities of each one to ensure food and energy security in Africa and in the Arab world;
- Develop manufacturing, light and medium industries by relying on countries that have experience in this field;
- Mobilize investments to collectively tackle the causes and consequences of food crises;
- Act together to address the problems of importing essential foods and establishing alternative supply chains;
- Adopt guarantees/measures to minimize negative impacts in the event of economic sanctions;
- Ensure that prices of basic foods remain affordable for all;
- Create a mutual aid mechanism for humanitarian crises;
- Rethink cooperation policy to suit the current global context and take the initiative to improve diplomatic relations with the powers;
- Do all that is in their power to weigh on the international chessboard by exploiting in good father of family the richness of the basement, the ground and the facilities offered by the climate in the production of food for the food self-sufficiency;
- Prioritize the consumption of local products to give them more value
- Become aware of the concepts of political, economic and cultural independence;
- Make more efforts to share financial, technological and health resources available at home to mitigate dependency;
- Implement urgent measures to support rural farmers, as experience has shown that it is thanks to peasant agriculture that cities have survived during confinement;
- Adopt a common policy of regular consultation on health policy issues to make their voices heard;
- Increase health and research budgets to promote African and Arab medicine;
- Help each other among ASSECAA countries to carry out agricultural projects together in order to have sufficient food.
The works of the 9th Consultation Meeting of the ASSECAA were sanctioned by the adoption of a final communiqué through which the participants addressed their sincere and warm thanks to His Excellency Evariste NDAYISHIMIYE, President of the Republic of Burundi, and, through him, to the Government, the Senate and the people of Burundi for the warm welcome and the generous hospitality granted to the delegations as well as for the very good organization of the meeting.
Before closing the works of the 9th Consultation Meeting of the Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils of Africa and the Arab World, the Speaker of the Senate of the Republic of Burundi offered gifts to all delegations.
In the sidelines of the 9th Consultation Meeting of the Association of Senates, Shoora and Equivalent Councils of Africa and the Arab World, the Speaker of the Senate of the Republic of Burundi granted audiences to the different delegations.
To Download Full Report of 9th Retreat of ASSECAA click here
Final communique of 9th Retreat of ASSECAA
Ninth meeting of Retreat work papers ,bujumbura,Burundi,2022:-
1-EFFECTS AND REPERCUSSIONS OF THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC ON AFROARAB ECONOMIES: WHAT RESPONSES?
2-FROM COVID 19 TO THE WAR IN UKRAINE : A GLOBAL SHOCK
