Pretoria Civil Society Roundtable on the State of Democracy in Africa
February 22-24, 2010

South African Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms. Sue van der Merwe addressed civil society participants, Ambassadors and other distinguished guests during a dinner prior to CCD's civil society roundtable in Pretoria

Under a grant from the United Nations Democracy Fund, and in partnership with the African Democracy Forum and the Institute for Democracy in Africa (IDASA), the Council for a Community of Democracies held its first of five regional roundtables on democracy from February 22-24 in Pretoria, South Africa. More than 40 participants from 15 countries gathered to discuss the issues facing democracy in Africa, with the goal of developing recommendations on democracy promotion for the Community of Democracies and democratic governments from around the world while further discussing civil society efforts to support the ratification of the African Union's African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.

The first two days centered on what civil society can do to support and promote the ratification of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, which was signed by a majority of heads of state at an African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in January, 2007. Thus far, only 3 countries have ratified the Charter, including Ethiopia, Mauritania, and Sierra Leone. For the Charter to enter into force, it must be ratified by 12 more countries. At the Gala dinner at the conclusion of the first two days of the conference, South African Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms. Sue van der Merwe, declared for the first time that President Zuma had signed the Charter, thus opening the way for ratification by South Africa's parliament. In her speech, Ms. van der Merwe asserted that "democracy lies at the heart of the formation of the African Union" while adding that "this charter is more than just another agreement or convention. It is in a sense a blueprint for the Africa of the future." The full text of her remarks may be read here.

In support of this effort, civil society leaders from Burundi, Botswana, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa and other representatives from regional or global organizations formulated a civil society declaration on "Promoting the Ratification of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance." This declaration was read by Valnora Edwin, Executive Director of the Campaign for Good Governance located in Sierra Leone, during the Gala dinner on February 23, 2010, which featured many distinguished guests including South African Deputy Minister Sue van der Merwe, UN Democracy Fund Director Roland Rich, Secretary General of International IDEA Vidar Helgesen, many ambassadors and high commissioners, and CCD President Robert LaGamma, who served as the Emcee.

On February 24, these civil society leaders reconvened to discuss the state of democracy in Africa and specific topics, based on the themes of the CD Working Groups, including:

• Protecting the Rights of Women & Minorities
• Free Elections & Rule of Law
• Democracy Education
• Threats to Civil Society
• Poverty, Development & Democracy
• Press Freedom & the Free Flow of Information including Internet Freedom

Each group produced a set of action-oriented recommendations that will be presented to the Community of Democracies in the form of a report that is currently being drafted.

The global roundtable series is an initiative of the International Steering Committee of the Community of Democracies (ISC/CD), a 25-member body of civil society leaders who represent nongovernmental views to the Community of Democracies and its governments. The ISC/CD will present the recommendations that are developed through these roundtables to the Vilnius Ministerial Meeting of the Community of Democracies scheduled for 2011, urging nations to take actions to strengthen democracy, human rights, and the rule of law worldwide.

To read Mr. LaGamma's full remarks, click here.

Paul Graham, Executive Director of IDASA, also spoke at the Gala dinner, whose remarks may be read here.

The civil society declaration has been translated into French and may be found here.

To read the final report, click here.