By Gloria Ikibah
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament and East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) have commended moves to establish a continental network that will strengthen legislative cooperation among regional and supranational parliamentary institutions across Africa.
The initiative emerged from a high-level engagement between the leadership of the ECOWAS Parliament and EALA during a three-day working visit by the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Rt. Hon. Hadja Memounatou Ibrahima, to the headquarters of the East African Community (EAC) in Arusha, Tanzania. 
The visit, hosted by the Speaker of EALA, Rt. Hon. Joseph Ntakirutimana, and the Clerk, Mr Alex Obatre, focused on strengthening parliamentary diplomacy and developing practical mechanisms for legislative institutions across Africa to exchange experiences, expertise and policy approaches.
A major outcome of the meeting was the presentation of a joint Concept Note proposing the establishment of a Network of Regional and Supranational Parliamentary Institutions.
The proposed network will bring together institutions including EALA, ECOWAS Parliament and Pan-African Parliament, while providing opportunities for engagement with other supranational legislative bodies, including the European Parliament.
The initiative is designed to strengthen the capacity of African parliamentary institutions to collaborate on legislation, governance, institutional development and digital transformation.
It will also provide a platform for greater coordination on issues confronting the continent, including climate change, migration, peace and security, economic integration and other emerging global challenges.
Another key proposal is the development of common African positions on issues discussed in multilateral forums.
Through such coordination, the regional parliamentary institutions will be able to harmonise their positions and amplify Africa’s voice in international policy discussions.
The Concept Note also proposes a rotational leadership system and biannual meetings to ensure inclusiveness, continuity and balanced participation among member institutions.
The engagement in Arusha marks an attempt to move relations between African parliamentary bodies beyond ceremonial exchanges towards structured cooperation with the potential to produce practical legislative and policy outcomes.
During the visit, the delegation from the ECOWAS Parliament also held consultations with the EAC Secretariat, the East African Court of Justice and the Pan African Postal Union.
The wider consultations provided an opportunity to discuss regional integration, institutional development and the need for stronger cooperation among African institutions.
The proposed parliamentary network comes as African countries face challenges that increasingly cut across national and regional boundaries, requiring coordinated responses at continental level.
Closer cooperation among regional parliamentary institutions can provide a platform for sharing legislative solutions, strengthening democratic institutions and supporting the broader goal of African integration.
According to information released by EALA, the development reflects the commitment of West and East African parliamentary institutions to establish sustained channels of cooperation and contribute to a stronger and more coordinated African voice in global affairs.
