As Africa grapples with rising security and governance challenges, the Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has urged African parliaments to take a more proactive role in conflict resolution through sustained parliamentary diplomacy.
Abbas made the call at the 3rd Annual General Assembly of the Conference of Speakers and Presidents of African Legislatures (CoSPAL), held in Rabat, Morocco, where he stressed that modern legislative leadership must go beyond routine lawmaking to embrace strategic foresight, institutional strength and collective continental action.
He noted that parliaments should serve as stabilising forces for democracy and inclusive development, particularly in an era of global uncertainty and democratic fragility.
Also speaking, the Founder and Pioneer Chairman of CoSPAL and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the organisation was created to fill a leadership gap in Africa’s legislative space by providing a coordinated platform for parliamentary leaders to shape regional and global discourse.
Presenting the CoSPAL progress update and 2026 work plan, the Secretary-General, Ambassador ’Dapo Oyewole, disclosed that member legislatures had agreed on priorities including leadership development, capacity building, parliamentary diplomacy and institutional effectiveness, with deliberate focus on women’s leadership, youth participation and social inclusion.
Earlier, the Chairman of CoSPAL and Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Alban Bagbin, urged African legislatures to move beyond traditional roles and position themselves as key actors in peacebuilding, development and global partnerships.
The assembly, held under the theme “Legislative Leadership and Parliamentary Diplomacy in a Changing Global Order”, concluded with the adoption of the Rabat Declaration, reaffirming African parliaments’ commitment to democracy, institutional strengthening and collective action in addressing the continent’s challenges.
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