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The resignation of Hosni Mubarak marks an historic moment for the people of Egypt. It had been clear before Friday’s dramatic events that Mr. Mubarak’s position was untenable in the face of popular calls for reform and democracy from the Egyptian people. Indeed, like many in the international community, we called on former President Mubarak to step down. This event must now mark the beginning of true democratic reforms in Egypt, and the South African government and African Union (AU) can both play a constructive role in ensuring that free and fair elections take place in that country in the very near future.

In this regard, we welcome the statement issued by the Department of International Relations on Friday, which for the first time indicated the South African government’s support for democratic reform in Egypt. Previously, the administration had simply stated it was monitoring the situation.

The coming days and weeks will be critical for Egypt’s successful democratic transition, and leading AU member states need to play a constructive role in this process. The South African government should begin by ratifying the AU’s charter on democracy, elections and governance, and urging other AU member states to do likewise. This treaty would provide a basic framework for AU involvement in assisting countries undergoing reforms or elections during the transitional period and would provide for a standard reference point to deal with situations like the Egyptian crisis in the future.