The African Democracy Forum (ADF) and the Africa Democracy Institute (IDASA) would like to congratulate the African Union and the 15 Member States who have ratified the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG). The Charter was adopted in January 30, 2007 in Addis Ababa and on the 16th of January 2012, Cameroon became the 15th Member State to complete the ratification process. This means that on the 15th of February 2012, the ACDEG will finally come into force.

Since 2009, ADF and IDASA, with funding from the United Nations Democracy Fund, have worked to promote the Charter by coordinating a civil society campaign in over 13 countries. At the launch of the project, only 2 countries had completed the ratification process. Working with numerous local partners, drawn from a cross-section of the political spectrum, the campaign sought to build constituencies of support for the ratification and implementation of the ACEDG.

In the order that they deposited their instruments of ratification, the 15 Member States who have led to this historic moment:
1. Mauritania (28/07/2008)
2. Ethiopia (06/01/2009)
3. Sierra Leone (08/12/2009)
4. Burkina Faso (06/07/2010)
5. Lesotho (09/07/2010)
6. Rwanda (14/07/2010)
7. Ghana (19/10/2010)
8. South Africa (24/01/2011)
9. Zambia (08/07/2011)
10. Guinea (11/07/2011)
11. Chad (13/10/2011)
12. Niger (08/11/2011)
13. Guinea-Bissau (04/01/2012)
14. Nigeria (09/01/2012)
15. Cameroon (16/01/2012)

“The coming into force of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance symbolizes the increasing recognition by many African states of the importance of democratic values and practices and is an appropriate response to the electoral challenges that confronted Africa through 2011 and the Arab Springs. Its implementation is critical in addressing the governance deficit Africa still faces.” – Hannah Forster, Chair ADF

The ACDEG is a milestone for democracy in Africa, stating the minimum requirements for the observance of democratic principles, and its ratification and implementation is imperative to the attainment of peace and security, protection of human rights and effective democratic governance in Africa. AU members that accede to the Charter commit themselves to establishing and strengthening independent and impartial national electoral bodies responsible for the management of elections, and to ensure that there is a binding code of conduct before, during and after the
election period. The Charter further sets standards for democratic institutions, rule of law, political, economic and social governance; and, it empowers the AU to impose sanctions in cases of unconstitutional changes or government. In short, the content of the Charter sets out a framework of principles and values upon which problems can addressed and solutions applied.

“While this marks an important step in the promotion of democratic governance, the true test will come in the implementation of the Charter. The challenge will now be to effectively realise the values, principles and objectives of the Charter. We need to move from paper to practice, from words to action.” – Paul Graham, Executive Director – IDASA.

ADF and IDASA would like to:

• Congratulate the African Union and all Member States that have ratified the ACDEG and call upon these states to take the necessary steps to ensure the domestication and implementation of the Charter;
• Acknowledge the critical role played by the AU Political Affairs Department and the Pan African Parliament in the popularisation and promotion of the Charter.
• Call upon civil society across Africa to rally behind this momentous occasion and secure further ratifications, multiply efforts towards the popularisation of the charter and most importantly advocate for and monitor the implementation of the Charter;
• Reaffirm our commitment to the objectives of the campaign to promote and advocate for further ratifications, and the implementation and monitoring of the Democracy Charter at all levels in an inclusive and democratic manner.

The ADF is an African regional network of democracy, human rights, and governance organizations. We seek to consolidate democracy in Africa by providing opportunities for democrats to openly express their views and acting as a platform for mutual support and the sharing of resources.
IDASA is an independent public interest organisation committed to building sustainable democratic societies in collaboration with African and global partners.