By Valentia Tetteh
Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has called on African leaders and policymakers to resist external pressures that seek to impose foreign cultural and legal norms on the continent, insisting that Africa must remain steadfast in protecting its cultural identity, family values, and sovereignty.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 4th African Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family, Sovereignty and Values in Accra on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, Mr. Bagbin cautioned against attempts to make development cooperation and international partnerships conditional upon the adoption of social and legal frameworks that are inconsistent with African traditions and values.
According to him, some external actors continue to tie economic assistance and international cooperation to the acceptance of legal and cultural practices that do not reflect the realities and aspirations of African societies.
“People trying to make so many things contingent upon the adoption of legal and cultural patterns alien to our social fabric want to impose conditions on the operation of domestic laws to the disadvantage of developing countries,” he stated.
The Speaker argued that such actions undermine the principle of sovereign equality among nations as enshrined in the United Nations Charter.
“That violates the principle of sovereign equality enshrined in the United Nations Charter. 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,” Mr. Bagbin stressed.
He urged African countries to remain united in defending their right to determine their own social, cultural, and legal systems without external interference.
Mr. Bagbin further challenged the notion that modernisation and development require African societies to abandon their cultural identity and traditional values.
“I want to plead with all of you to reject the false premise that modernisation requires the erasure of our cultural identity,” he said.
The Speaker emphasised that Africa’s development journey must be rooted in its own history, traditions, and values rather than the wholesale adoption of foreign models.
Touching on the concept of family, Mr. Bagbin noted that African family structures differ significantly from the predominantly nuclear family model common in many Western societies.
According to him, the African family system remains broader, more communal, and more resilient than definitions often promoted through international discourse.
“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 stated.
He said the strength of African societies has historically been built on extended family networks, communal support systems, and shared responsibilities that continue to provide social protection for millions across the continent.
The Speaker called on African lawmakers, traditional leaders, religious bodies, and civil society organisations to work together to preserve and strengthen family institutions while advancing development that reflects African realities.
The four-day conference has brought together parliamentarians, policymakers, academics, traditional authorities, and civil society representatives from across Africa to deliberate on issues relating to family values, sovereignty, governance, cultural identity, and sustainable development.
The conference is expected to produce recommendations aimed at strengthening collaboration among African legislatures in promoting policies that safeguard the continent’s cultural heritage, family systems, and sovereign interests in an increasingly globalised world.
