El Malick Ndiaye, a Member of the National Assembly of Senegal, stated at the opening of the 85th Session of the APU Executive Committee, which took place on 3–4 June in Dakar, that a clear challenge facing the continent is to defend its positions on major international issues with greater firmness.

The MP was delivering his brief welcome address at the opening of the 85th Session of the Executive Committee, representing the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ousmane Sonko, and the Senegalese MPs.

He went on to state that the continent must defend its strategic interests more consistently whenever necessary, speaking with a single African parliamentary voice.

“It is on this basis that our parliamentary diplomacy will be able to contribute fully to the affirmation of a united, sovereign and influential Africa within the community of nations. The work we are commencing today is therefore of particular importance. It will enable us to assess the progress made, strengthen our organisation’s governance mechanisms and jointly prepare the next stages of its development.”

The MP stated that, in the face of the security, economic, climate, technological and social challenges facing the continent, no nation can act alone, because the continent must speak with a strong, united and responsible voice, and the APU embodies the ideal of convergence and solidarity.

Finally, he stated that the continent has various regional and continental parliamentary bodies which often pursue converging objectives, and that much would be gained if synergies were strengthened in order to increase the effectiveness of collective action.