WHAT:        The Pan-African Parliament (PAP), the legislative arm of the African Union (AU), will convene an Extraordinary Session of its Seventh Legislature to elect the five members of its Bureau: One (1) President and Four (4) Vice-Presidents.

WHEN:        28 – 30 April 2026, starting daily at 9am (SAST). The election of the Bureau of the will take place on 30 April 2026.

                  In preparation for, and following, the Extraordinary Session, a series of pre-session and post-session meetings will be held from 26 to 27 April and 01 to 05 May 2026.

WHERE:      Pan-African Parliament Headquarters, 19 Richard’s Drive, Gallagher Estate, Midrand, South Africa.

WHO:         The process will be overseen by:

• Chairperson of the African Union Commission, representing the Chairperson of the African Union
• A High-Level Group mandated to supervise the electoral process

WHY:          The term of office of the Sixth Bureau of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) officially ended on 28 February 2026. In accordance with Decision 1288 (XLVI) of February 2025 of the African Union Executive Council, as complemented by a subsequent decision adopted by tacit consent on 27 March 2026, an Extraordinary Session has been convened pursuant to Rule 29 of the PAP Rules of Procedure.

                  This session will elect a new Bureau for a three-year term, based on the principle of equitable regional rotation as follows:

• President: North Africa region
• First Vice-President: East Africa region
• Second Vice-President: West Africa region
• Third Vice-President: Central Africa region
• Fourth Vice-President: Southern Africa region

MEDIA PROGRAMME AND COVERAGE OPPORTUNITIES:

Media representatives are invited to cover the following:

• 28 April 2026: Opening Ceremony (Excluding Business of the Day)
• 30 April 2026: Closing Ceremony
• 30 April 2026:High-Level Press Conference by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission and the newly elected President of the Pan-African Parliament

Opportunities for media interviews during the Extraordinary Session may be arranged upon request.

OBJECTIVES:

The Extraordinary Session of the Pan-African Parliament aims to conduct a credible, transparent, and rules-based election of the Bureau of the Seventh Legislature, in accordance with the African Union’s legal and institutional frameworks.

The specific objectives are to:

• Elect a President and four Vice-Presidents in accordance with African Union rules and the principle of equitable regional rotation.
• Reconstitute the leadership of Permanent Committees and Regional and Thematic Caucuses to ensure continuity and effective functioning.
• Uphold transparency, legality, and adherence to AU frameworks throughout the electoral process.

ABOUT THE BUREAU:

The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) is headed by a Bureau composed of a President and four Vice-Presidents, representing the five regions of the African continent. As the principal leadership and administrative organ of the Parliament, the Bureau provides strategic direction and ensures the effective functioning of the institution and its organs.

The Bureau is responsible for the overall management and administration of the affairs and facilities of the Parliament and its organs. It regulates procedures relating to the financial, organizational, and administrative needs of the institution, in accordance with the Financial Rules of the African Union, including matters concerning Members and the internal organization of Parliament.

ACCREDITATION:

For media accreditation to cover open sessions of the Extraordinary Session,  journalists are invited to fill out the accreditation form at https://t.ly/6H-o_ and return to jeffrey.onganga@panafricanparliament.org by 25 April 2026.

LIVESTREAMING:

Live-streaming, articles and audio-visual material of the open sessions can be accessed through the following platforms:

Facebook               : https://www.facebook.com/panafricanparliament                

Twitter (X)             : https://twitter.com/AfrikParliament;

YouTube               : www.youtube.com/channel/panafricanparliament

Website                 : http://pap.au.int/en

Video Live Stream   : www.panafricanparliament.org/multimedia/webcast

For further information and general comments, please contact:

• Ms. Lindiwe Khumalo: Clerk of the Pan-African Parliament: clerk@panafricanparliament.org

For all media inquiries, please contact:

• Mr. Jeffrey Onganga: jeffrey.onganga@panafricanparliament.org