Entebbe, Uganda – Members of Parliament from 29 African countries have concluded the 3rd African Regional Inter-Parliamentary Conference in Entebbe, presenting a zero draft of a proposed African Charter on Family, Sovereignty, and Values aimed at addressing emerging global challenges affecting the continent’s cultural identity and independence.
The three-day conference brought together lawmakers, policy experts, and civil society leaders to deliberate on threats to African family structures, regional sovereignty, and traditional values amid growing external cultural and economic influences.
Deputy Speaker of the Ugandan Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, called on African nations to safeguard their natural resources from exploitation and reduce dependency on foreign powers.
“African countries must foster regional trade to boost intra-African commerce and ensure free movement of people,” Tayebwa said. “We must prioritize agriculture as a key income-generating avenue contributing significantly to our countries’ GDP.”
One of the key challenges raised was the absence of a common African language, which legislators cited as a major barrier to unity.
Entebbe Municipality MP Micheal Kakembo proposed the adoption of Swahili as a continental lingua franca.
“The absence of a unified language creates a vacuum for Western culture to influence African countries,” Kakembo said.
MPs also agreed on the need to reduce reliance on donor funding and seek independent financing models as a strategy to protect African values and decision-making autonomy.
“We must find independent sources of funding to preserve our sovereignty and values,” the MPs resolved.
Sarah Opendi, chairperson of the African Inter-Parliamentary Conference and woman MP for Tororo District, presented the zero draft of the African Charter on Family, Sovereignty, and Values.
“This draft reflects our collective commitment to preserving African values, family, and sovereignty,” Opendi said.
The conference approved the content of the draft charter, which will now be circulated among national parliaments for review and discussion ahead of expected adoption at the next summit. The document outlines a framework for legislative action on cultural preservation, economic resilience, and continental solidarity.
The resolutions and the zero draft mark a significant milestone in shaping Africa’s unified response to global cultural and economic pressures.