The Member of Parliament for Korle Klottey, Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has been elected Second Vice-President of the Bureau of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), marking a significant milestone for Ghana and West African diplomacy.
The election took place on April 30, 2026, during an Extraordinary Session of the Seventh Legislature held at the PAP headquarters in Midrand, South Africa. Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings secured a decisive 131 votes, defeating her opponent, who polled 51 votes.
The process was overseen by the Chairperson of the African Union, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, and supported by a high-level group mandated to supervise the election and ensure compliance with African Union standards and frameworks.
Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings will serve a three-year term alongside four other Bureau members, providing strategic direction and leadership to the Parliament. In this role, she will contribute to guiding the institution’s legislative and oversight functions in line with its mandate to promote the full participation of African peoples and the diaspora in the continent’s development and economic integration.
Her election forms part of a broader reconstitution of the Parliament’s leadership structures, paving the way for the renewal of other bodies, including the Bureaus of Permanent Committees and various regional and thematic caucuses.
As a member of the five-person Bureau representing West Africa, she is expected to play a key role in overseeing the Parliament’s legislative and advisory functions. Her position is also anticipated to strengthen Ghana’s influence in shaping continental policy priorities, particularly in areas such as health equity, youth empowerment, and the advancement of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Her election marks several milestones. She becomes the first female representative from the West African Caucus to hold the position, while her commanding victory is widely viewed as a strong endorsement of both her leadership and Ghana’s parliamentary credentials. Her rise within the PAP has also been notably swift, having joined Ghana’s delegation in July 2025—less than a year before her election to the Bureau.
The newly constituted Bureau comprises Fateh Boutbig (President, North Africa), Ashebir Woldegiorgis Gayo (First Vice-President, East Africa), Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings (Second Vice-President, West Africa), Djidda Mamar Mahamat (Third Vice-President, Central Africa), and Arlete Borges (Fourth Vice-President, Southern Africa).
Her election underscores Ghana’s growing influence in continental governance and highlights the increasing role of women in African leadership.
The Bureau, composed of a President and four Vice-Presidents representing Africa’s five regions, serves as the principal leadership and administrative organ of the Parliament. It is responsible for the overall management of the institution’s affairs and facilities, as well as ensuring the effective functioning of its structures in accordance with the Financial Rules and Procedures of the African Union.
Story by: Francis Sowah
Related Posts
