Africa's legislature-in-the-making Pan African Parliament (PAP) opened its historic session Thursday morning in South Africa, its permanent seat, with aims toair voices of all Africans and promote democracy, unity and prosperity across the continent of 869 million people.

About 300 parliament members throughout Africa and domestic and international dignitaries attended the PAP's second sitting, the first in South Africa, at Gallagher Estate conference complex near Johannesburg.

Drum beating, dancing and a jazz ensemble featuring Africa's cultural diversity were staged to welcome the delegates as they entered into the meeting venue, many wearing colorful traditional dress.

Poetic rendition, choir and prayer by representatives from various religious groups were also interludes of the opening ceremony that started around 11 a.m. (0900 GMT).

Security was tight around the area as an estimated 800,000 public servants embarked on the biggest strike in South Africa's history across the country on Thursday in protest against the government's failure to meet their demand for wage increase.

Presided over by PAP President Gertrude Mongella, new parliamentary members were sworn in shortly before the opening ceremony.

Mongella, African Union (AU) Deputy Chairman Patrick Mazimhaka and South African President Thabo Mbeki are soon to address the ceremony.

Representatives of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and AU Chairman Olusegun Obasanjo are also expected to deliver messages, as will delegates from the East African Legislative Assembly, the Southern African Development Community and the Economic Community of West African States.

Visiting Indian President Abdul Kalam was invited to the ceremony and was accompanied by Mbeki to walk in the meeting hall.

From Sept. 17 to Oct. 7, 230 delegates from 46 African countries that have ratified the protocols of the assembly will take part in the deliberations in five languages, namely Arabic, English, French, Portuguese and Swahili, on vital issues like peace and security, human rights and good governance.

They will spend a lot of time discussing the parliament's rules and procedures.

The issues of conflicts and humanitarian crisis in Sudan's Darfur region are expected to be raised and debated.

South Africa's offer to host the institution was accepted at an AU summit this July in Addis Ababa. The country will pay 61 million rand (9.38 million US dollars) to host the parliament for its first year, plus one million dollars from the AU.

The PAP, established as a primary organ within the AU six months ago, would seek to stimulate democracy, forge continental unity and accurately represent the views of Africans, Mongella said earlier this week.

"We have to center our actions on integration of the African people -- economically, socially and politically," said the famed female Tanzanian politician who was elected unopposed as the PAP's president in March.

In its first five years of existence, the 265-member parliament will not have legislative powers but will serve an advisory and consultative role.

Each of 53 African countries is supposed to send five members from their elected legislature to the PAP. However, 46 countries have thus far ratified the protocols of the assembly.

The rest of the countries, including the Democratic Republic ofthe Congo, Eritrea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Somalia and Sao Tome and Principe, need to sign the document and send representatives to the parliament.

The PAP's objective is to have a working assembly in 2009 that will be able to pass laws to promote African unity and integration.

In the same year, the institution will move from the current Gallagher Estate conference center to a permanent, as yet undecided venue in Gauteng, South Africa's economic heartland.

Source: Xinhua