Mohamed Halawa, a member of the Egyptian Senate, won the chairmanship of the Trade Committee in the African Parliament.
Halawa was unanimously nominated by the North Africa group
Written by Mohamed Salem
The Senate announced EgyptianOn Sunday, MP Mohamed Halawa, head of the Trade, Industry, Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises Committee in the Senate, won the chairmanship of the Trade, Customs and Immigration Committee in the African Parliament, following his unanimous nomination by the North Africa group.
This came as part of the completion of the African Parliament meetings held in Johannesburg from April 26 to May 6.
Supporting Egypt's role within the African Parliament
The council said: “This victory is a support for Egypt’s role within the African Parliament, especially in economic and trade matters, and opens the door for more coordination with African parliaments in a way that serves economic integration and joint development among the countries of the continent, in a step that reflects confidence in Egyptian competencies within continental parliamentary institutions.”.
Elections for the presidency of the African Parliament
The elections for the presidency of the African Parliament, which took place in the city of Midrand in South Africa, witnessed fierce competition between 4 Arab countries that represent a weight in the north of the African continent.
The elections ended with the victory of the Algerian candidate, Fatih Boutabik, a member of the Algerian National Assembly representing the presidential third, in the presidency of the African Parliament.
Boutabik was elected as the new President of the Pan-African Parliament for the 2026-2029 legislative term, during the extraordinary session of the Pan-African Parliament held in Midrand, South Africa, after obtaining a majority of votes with 119 votes out of 152.
Election of a new president of the African Parliament
In a speech following his election as the new President of the Pan-African Parliament for the 2026-2029 legislative term, during the proceedings of the extraordinary session of the Pan-African Parliament in Midrand, South Africa, Boutabik said that his victory was “a victory for a unified African will,” pledging to work to “strengthen the role of the Pan-African Parliament, amplify its voice, and bring it closer to the citizens.”.
The city of Midrand in South Africa hosted an extraordinary session between April 28 and 30, 2026, to elect a new president and bureau to lead the African Parliament for the next three years, in an election that reflects the delicate balances within the African Union, with the presidency moving to the North African region according to the principle of rotation among the five regions of the continent.
The African Parliament includes members chosen from national parliaments, with five representatives per country, and a requirement that at least one woman be included in each delegation, thus ensuring female representation in the membership.
