African Union parliament 'broke'

South Africa, Libya, Nigeria, Algeria and Egypt provide 75% of AU funds

The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) may have to call off its next session because of a lack of funds from the African Union (AU), officials warn.

Wycliffe Oparanya, chairman of the PAP's finance committee, blamed the shortfall on countries that had failed to pay their dues to the AU.

He singled out Libya, Nigeria, Algeria and Egypt, which together with South Africa provide 75% of AU funds.

The PAP was inaugurated in 2004, and sits in Midrand, north of Johannesburg.

"I'm not sure if the sixth session scheduled for October will go ahead," Mr Oparanya said.

The AU is meant to provide half of PAP's 2006 budget of $24m (£12.8m), with individual member states paying the other half.

If these countries do not pay how do they expect the AU to operate? PAP's Wycliffe Oparanya

But AU has approved only $5.9m - $6.1m short of the $12m (£6.4m) that it owes.

Mr Oparanya said he had approached the AU in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, to hear if the shortfall would be met, but came away empty-handed.

"They are saying that they have no money because some AU member states have not paid," Mr Oparanya told reporters.

"This year five countries are supposed to pay 75% of the AU's budget - namely South Africa, Libya, Nigeria, Algeria and Egypt ... of those, only South Africa has paid its contribution," he said.

"If these countries do not pay how do they expect the AU to operate?" he asked, saying that the PAP might have to look to donor nations to make up the funding shortfall.