Addis Ababa - The Chairperson of the AU Commission, Dr Jean Ping, on Wednesday said Africa’s inability to conduct reliable elections was one of the challenges to sustainable democracy on the continent.
Ping said this in Addis Ababa at the Second AU/Organisation of American States (OAS) forum on Democracy and Human Rights in Africa and the Americas.
He also listed lack of resources to strengthen electoral institutions, foreign influence and the inability of Africans to accept election results in good faith as other challenges faced by democracy on the continent.
Ping said democracy and human rights were not imported into Africa because Africans were known with their freedoms of association and speech for a very long time before the arrival of colonial masters.
He said Africans had in the early 90s took to the streets and demanded for political change and their rights to be respected.
“Africa has now witnessed the second wind of change in the Tunisia, Egypt and Libya among other Arab nations. The AU has played a key role in protecting democratic values on the continent throughout the struggles through its charter on human rights and shared values.’’
Ping said despite the efforts and successes recorded, there was a need for Africans to be steadfast in strengthening democracy especially by ensuring that there would be no more military coups on the continent.
He said there was also the need to strengthen legitimate administrations by political parties in Africa as most of them do not meet the aspirations of their citizens.
Also speaking, Mr Jose Insulza, Secretary General of the OAS said there was a need for countries on the two continents to continue to learn from each other inorder to strengthen democracy and human rights.
“We can advance in our goals for a closer and more productive relationship in the areas of democracy, human rights, electoral observation, conflict resolution, gender equality, social justice and more equally in income distribution.
“By joining our forces we can be even more effective in achieving our objectives and in ensuring that regional integration and inter-regional cooperation will translate into greater benefits of our people’’, Insulza said.
In his speech, Amb. Ruben Mangue, the Chairman of the AU Permanent Representative Committee (PRC) said the committee would provide all the necessary support to strengthen the existing relations with all AU partners and sister organisations like the OAS.
Mangue said providing such support would maximise the potentials and opportunities that exist within the two regions for the promotion, strengthening and defence of democracy, human rights and good governance.
The forum held its first meeting in New York in 2007 and the two sides signed an MoU on cooperation and modalities of operation in 2009. (NAN)
Ping said this in Addis Ababa at the Second AU/Organisation of American States (OAS) forum on Democracy and Human Rights in Africa and the Americas.
He also listed lack of resources to strengthen electoral institutions, foreign influence and the inability of Africans to accept election results in good faith as other challenges faced by democracy on the continent.
Ping said democracy and human rights were not imported into Africa because Africans were known with their freedoms of association and speech for a very long time before the arrival of colonial masters.
He said Africans had in the early 90s took to the streets and demanded for political change and their rights to be respected.
“Africa has now witnessed the second wind of change in the Tunisia, Egypt and Libya among other Arab nations. The AU has played a key role in protecting democratic values on the continent throughout the struggles through its charter on human rights and shared values.’’
Ping said despite the efforts and successes recorded, there was a need for Africans to be steadfast in strengthening democracy especially by ensuring that there would be no more military coups on the continent.
He said there was also the need to strengthen legitimate administrations by political parties in Africa as most of them do not meet the aspirations of their citizens.
Also speaking, Mr Jose Insulza, Secretary General of the OAS said there was a need for countries on the two continents to continue to learn from each other inorder to strengthen democracy and human rights.
“We can advance in our goals for a closer and more productive relationship in the areas of democracy, human rights, electoral observation, conflict resolution, gender equality, social justice and more equally in income distribution.
“By joining our forces we can be even more effective in achieving our objectives and in ensuring that regional integration and inter-regional cooperation will translate into greater benefits of our people’’, Insulza said.
In his speech, Amb. Ruben Mangue, the Chairman of the AU Permanent Representative Committee (PRC) said the committee would provide all the necessary support to strengthen the existing relations with all AU partners and sister organisations like the OAS.
Mangue said providing such support would maximise the potentials and opportunities that exist within the two regions for the promotion, strengthening and defence of democracy, human rights and good governance.
The forum held its first meeting in New York in 2007 and the two sides signed an MoU on cooperation and modalities of operation in 2009. (NAN)
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/10/au-chair-laments-africa%e2%80%99s-inability-to-conduct-reliable-elections/