Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has called on African countries to resist what he describes as growing external pressure to alter domestic laws and cultural norms, insisting that the continent must retain the right to define its own family values and social frameworks.
Speaking at the opening of the Fourth African Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family, Sovereignty and Values in Accra, Mr Bagbin argued that attempts to condition international support on the adoption of foreign legal and cultural standards undermine the sovereignty of African states.
The conference has brought together parliamentary leaders from across Africa amid ongoing debates on family values, national sovereignty and LGBTQ-related legislation on the continent.
“I want to emphasise this matter. People are trying to make so many things contingent upon the adoption of legal and cultural paradigms alien to our socio-cultural fabric,” Mr Bagbin said.
He argued that linking development assistance to changes in domestic legislation violates internationally recognised principles of state sovereignty.
“Conditioning aid on the alteration of domestic laws to the advantage of beneficiary countries violates the principle of sovereign equality enshrined in the United Nations Charter,” he stated.
According to the Speaker, African countries do not seek to impose their legal systems or cultural values on other regions and expect the same respect in return.
“We in Africa do not seek to dictate the internal legal frameworks of other continents, and we expect in turn the same respect for our sovereignty,” he said.
Mr Bagbin also urged delegates to reject suggestions that modernisation requires African societies to abandon their cultural identities.
“I want to plead with all of you to let us reject the false premise that modernisation requires the erasure of our cultural identity,” he told participants.
He further criticised what he described as narrow definitions of the family, arguing that African family structures differ significantly from Western models.
“The Western concept of the nuclear family — isolated, individualistic, lonely and strictly bounded — fails to capture the expansive, resilient and self-sustaining genius of the African family,” he said.
The conference comes days after Ghana’s Parliament passed the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, legislation that has generated significant debate both locally and internationally.
Organisers say discussions during the conference will focus on protecting family values, strengthening parliamentary cooperation and advancing policies that reflect Africa’s cultural and social realities.
The event is being held in Parliament’s debating chamber and is expected to continue until the end of the week.
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