The Fourth Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family, Sovereignty and Values opened in Accra on Wednesday with a strong call on delegates from across Africa to prioritize consensus-building over rhetoric as they work toward the adoption of a continental charter on family values and cultural sovereignty.
Chairman of the Planning Committee and Second Deputy Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, Andrew Asiamah Amoako, in a welcome address at the opening ceremony, said the conference represented a historic opportunity for Africa to define its own future through legislation rooted in the continent’s values and traditions.
Addressing more than 300 delegates drawn from 30 African countries, he emphasized that the three-day gathering was not intended to be another forum for speeches but a working session aimed at forging consensus around the Draft African Charter on Family Values, Sovereignty and Cultural Identity.
“This conference is not about speeches. It is about consensus, partnerships and commitment. We are here to refine, validate and elevate the Draft Charter so it genuinely reflects our shared African responsibilities,” he stated.
The conference marks the culmination of a three-year process that began in Uganda in 2023 and continued through subsequent engagements leading to the Accra meeting, where delegates are expected to finalize the charter for consideration across the continent.
Hon. Asiamah Amoako said the initiative seeks to place African family systems, cultural values and national sovereignty at the centre of policymaking and legislation.
According to him, weakening family structures poses broader challenges to governance, education and national development.
“When the family is weakened, the fractures are felt across our schools, our governance systems, public morality and national development,” he noted, adding that the proposed charter would provide a legislative framework to safeguard those foundations.
He described Ghana’s hosting of the conference as both a privilege and a responsibility, emphasizing that Parliament, under the leadership of Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, was committed to ensuring a transparent, inclusive and legally robust process.
The Planning Committee, he explained, had spent months coordinating logistics, programme content and stakeholder engagement to ensure that the conference delivers meaningful outcomes.
Hon. Asiamah Amoako also directed a message to young Africans attending the conference, urging them to become active custodians of the values being discussed.
“The future will not be built by those who merely inherit values, but by those who understand, live and leverage them to elevate society. That is why youth are central to this Charter, not peripheral,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of Morocco’s House of Representatives, Rachid Talbi El Alami, urged delegates to support the adoption of the African Charter, describing it as a critical instrument for preserving the continent’s cultural identity, strengthening family institutions and safeguarding national sovereignty. He argued that African countries must increasingly rely on home-grown solutions and legislative frameworks that reflect their unique social realities and aspirations.
The conference, which runs until June 5, is expected to examine key issues including family policy, cultural preservation, youth development, legislative sovereignty and strategies for strengthening African institutions amid growing global social and political pressures.
Delegates are expected to conclude deliberations with recommendations on the Draft African Charter, which organizers hope will serve as a guiding framework for lawmakers across the continent.
By: Christian Kpesese
