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The Democratic Alliance (DA) notes the installation of a provisional government in Tunisia and urges the African Union (AU) to take all possible steps to ensure that this rare opportunity for democratic consolidation is not wasted.

Over the past few weeks, Tunisia has experienced a series of disruptive civilian revolts culminating in the ousting of former dictator, President Ben Ali, after a 23-year regime. The speaker of Tunisia’s parliament, Fouad Mebazza, has been sworn in as Tunisia’s interim president.

This is a vital moment for both Tunisian and broader African history and the Zuma administration and the African Union should do all that they can to consolidate this tremendous opportunity for democratic reform.

In this regard, the DA welcomes the statement made by the Chairperson of the AU Commission, Dr. Jean Ping, on 14 January this year. Dr. Ping said:

‘The Chairperson further expresses the hope that Tunisia will emerge from this crisis as a stronger and more democratic nation.’

The African Union has the unique opportunity to ensure that Dr. Ping’s comments are not relegated to the annals of forgotten platitudes and hollow odes to democracy. On 30-31 January 2011, the Ordinary Assembly of the AU shall be meeting. This is the union’s highest decision-making body and comprises African heads of state.

While we realise that the agendas for these high-level meetings are determined well in advance, they do have the opportunity for the discussion of governance issues on the continent, and immediate problems. I shall be writing to President Zuma today asking that his administration place the assurance of free, fair, open and democratic elections in Tunisia within the next six months on the Assembly’s agenda and to advocate for full AU support for holding elections.

This is a tremendous moment, not only for the Tunisian people but also for the people of Africa as a whole. It has too often been a commonplace that dictators have been virtually irremovable and the North African region is sadly over-populated with autocratic regimes headed by anachronistic strongmen who suppress democratic reforms at every turn. Sadly, the Zuma administration has largely chosen to cozy up to these tyrants rather than openly confront them in the name of democracy and human rights, most recently evidenced by President Zuma’s state visit to Egypt. It is time for the Zuma administration to get on the right side of history.