Pan-African Parliament Elects new Bureau Leadership
5 May 2026
The Pan-African Parliament (PAP), the legislative organ of the African Union (AU), has successfully concluded its Extraordinary Session of the Seventh Legislature, held from 28 to 30 April 2026 at its headquarters in Midrand, South Africa, with the election of a new Bureau to lead the institution for the next three years.
The newly elected Bureau is composed as follows:
President (North Africa): Hon. Fateh Boutbig, Algeria
First Vice-President (East Africa): Hon. Dr. Ashebir Woldegiorgis Gayo, Ethiopia
Second Vice-President (West Africa): Hon. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, Ghana
Third Vice-President (Central Africa): Hon. Djidda Mamar Mahamat, Tchad
Fourth Vice-President (Southern Africa): Hon. Dr. Arlete Borges, Angola
The election was conducted in accordance with Decisions 1288 (XLVI) and 1663 (XLVII) of the African Union Executive Council, as complemented by a subsequent decision adopted on 27 March 2026, and pursuant to Rule 29 of the PAP Rules of Procedure. The process was overseen by H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, representing the Chairperson of the African Union, and supported by a High-Level Group mandated to supervise the electoral process, ensuring transparency, credibility, and adherence to African Union legal and institutional frameworks.
“The successful conduct of the elections marks a significant milestone in the continued institutional renewal of the Pan-African Parliament, reinforcing its commitment to democratic governance, accountability, and the rule of law. It further reflects the African Union’s principle of equitable, regular, and predictable regional rotation, ensuring balanced representation across the five regions of the continent, said Hon. Fateh Boutbig, President of the Pan-African Parliament.
The newly elected Bureau will serve a three-year term and will provide strategic direction and leadership to the Parliament, guiding its legislative and oversight functions in line with its mandate to promote the full participation of African peoples and the diaspora in the development and economic integration of the continent.
The Bureau, composed of a President and four Vice-Presidents representing the five regions of Africa, serves as the principal leadership and administrative organ of the Parliament. It is responsible for the overall management and administration of the affairs and facilities of the institution and its organs, as well as for ensuring the effective functioning of its structures in accordance with the Financial Rules and Procedures of the African Union.
Through this process, the Pan-African Parliament has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing the aspirations of Agenda 2063 – “The Africa We Want” – and to strengthening its role as a responsive, transparent, and citizen-oriented institution within the African Union architecture. The election of the new Bureau paves the way for the renewal for other leadership structures of Parliament including Bureaus of Permanent Committees, and Regional and Thematic Caucuses.
African Union Commission