5 March 2007
Johannesburg: Democracy in Africa is alive, but united efforts need to be
made to both sustain the current democratic momentum on the continent and more
importantly, to improve the quality of democracy. This was the over-riding
consensus of the International Conference on Sustaining Africa's Democratic
Momentum, which ended today. The conference was convened by the Independent
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), the African Union (AU) and the
International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International
IDEA) to debate the issues and challenges facing democracy in Africa.
It was also the first time an African conference of this nature included
Asia and Latin American countries, which, for Dr Abdalla Hamdok, Regional
Director for Africa and the Middle East, International IDEA, was a
groundbreaking initiative. In his closing address, Dr Hamdok said: "In the
past, democracy has been perceived as a western commodity, produced there and
exported south. Countries in Africa, as in Asia and Latin America, are very
diverse and invariably at different stages of development." He said as each
country was unique, democracy could not simply be imported, but its principles
and values revised to accommodate and strengthen existing formal and informal
institutions of democracy and to incorporate indigenous institutions. "There
are universal values of democracy but these values must be taken into
context."
Dr Brigalia Bam, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of South Africa,
confirmed that democratic reform in Africa was dependent on the history and
circumstances in each country, but added that democracy had to empower its
people. "We need to give more voice to the unrepresented and to bridge the
gender gap. In addition, political parties in Africa are very important and
need to be supported and encouraged if they are to be real agents for change
and democracy."
Former President of the Republic of Botswana, Sir Ketumile Masire,
participated in the conference and reminded people how far democracy in Africa
has come over the past decade. "A few years ago my country was indeed a loner
in a sea of neighbouring countries under undemocratic and in some cases
oppressive, rule. More and more African countries have embraced multiparty
democracy and good governance; they have had successive competitive regular
elections, albeit with challenges here and there."
Sir Masire highlighted the nexus between democracy and development, a major
focus of the conference, when he said, "that democracy without development is
an empty dream and a mirage." He concluded that democracy must go beyond
'electoralism' to include issues such as human rights, and the right for
citizens to participate actively and effectively in key decisions, necessary to
improve their lives.
There exist many concrete examples that democracy is coming of age in
Africa, not least of which is the establishment of the Africa Forum of Former
Heads of State and Government, of which Sir Masire is a member. He said the
members of the forum were in a unique position to contribute towards efforts of
democratisation and good governance in Africa. "We as Africans must know that
we have a responsibility to put in place an African personality on democracy.
We cannot decree that everybody should respect us, but we can work in such a
way that everybody will respect us." He added that "life abounds beyond State
House."
Efforts by the African Union are also demonstrative of Africa's commitment
to democracy. The adoption of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and
Governance in January 2007 and other African Union (AU) Charters represent
building blocks towards the democratisation and stabilisation of Africa.
Chairperson of the African Union Commission Professor Alphar Oumar Konare
reinforced the role democracy could play in breaking down boundaries and in
embracing cultural diversity, but said that, for democracy to flourish, peace
and security was key.
The Conference Statement for International Conference on Sustaining Africa's
Democratic Momentum can be viewed at (http://www.elections.org.za/conference2007).
For more information, please contact:
Mosotho Moepya
Conference Spokesperson
Cell: 082 650 8621
E-mail spokesperson@elections.org.za
Issued by: Independent Electoral Commission
5 March 2007
