21 August 2001
Members of EISA;
Your Excellencies,
Members of the international community, academic fraternity, and civil society;
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentleman.
Thank you for allowing me to address you at the launch of the ElSA Democracy Seminar Series with a discussion on democratisation in the Region and the challenges and opportunities this poses to our foreign policy.
The preamble of the Constitution of South Africa states that its purpose is to inter alia, "establish a society based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights". It further states that the Constitution "lays the foundations for a democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the people and every citizen is equally protected by law". The preamble of our constitution contains the aspirations of our nation. It contains the values that we hope to achieve. These are democratic values, social justice; human rights and rule of law that is fair and just.
In order to consolidate, protect and give effectiveness and meaning to these values, the Constitution creates state institutions to strengthen and entrench our adolescent democracy. These include institutions such as the Constitutional Court, the Human Rights Commission, the Electoral Commission, the Youth Commission and the Commission on Gender Equality.
There has also been attempts to get people involved in the practical application of democracy. All major pieces of legislation, including the drafting of the constitution itself, have been subjected to extensive public scrutiny through continued consultations. This people-driven process has sought to achieve national consensus on issues of national importance. I am sure that you are well aware that democracy flourishes when it is people driven.
Chairperson,
Our foreign policy stems from our domestic aspirations. One of our foreign policy objectives is that "South Africa shall strive for peace, stability, democracy and a people centred sustainable development in an African continent that is prosperous and united, contributing towards a world that is just and equitable".
As we strive to achieve these objectives, we are acutely conscious that the technological revolution and information highway ensures that we are constantly bombarded with reports of African conflicts, breakdown of the rule of law, undemocratic systems, underdevelopment and famine.
However, I am happy to say that the rabid Afro-pessimism of the last few years is on the retreat. Positive events on the continent have proven many sceptics wrong. The reality is that the last ten years have seen a move towards the establishment of multi-party democracies throughout the continent. Since the early 1990’s 42 of 48 sub-Saharan states have held multi-party presidential or parliamentary elections. These developments signal a realisation that for Africa to develop, countries need to adopt policies aimed at providing democracy, good governance and human rights. There are of course exceptions to these changes, but these are out numbered by countries willing to adopt change.
Callisto Madavo and Jean-Louis Sarib, Vice Presidents, Africa Region of the World Bank wrote in 1997: "Africa is on the move. From Mali to Uganda to South Africa, hope and real success are transforming the continent. A new spirit of social and economic progress has energised much of the region. Gradually the rest of the world is beginning to take notice of Africa."
Why is there a fresh wind of confidence and optimism blowing in our continent?
President Mbeki states that "there exists within our continent a generation which has been victim to all things which created the negative past; this generation remains African and carries with it a historic pride which compels it to seek a place for Africans equal to all other peoples of our common universe…. I believe that the new African generations have learned and are learning from the experience of the past. I further believe that they are unwilling to continue to repeat the wrongs that have occurred".
The new mood is not only evident within the domestic sphere of individual countries, but are also taking place within Africa’s multilateral institutions.
At the OAU Summit in Lusaka, held in July, African leaders adopted "A New African Initiative". It is an initiative that is premised on African states making commitments to good governance, democracy and human rights, while endeavouring to prevent and resolve situations of conflict and instability on the continent. Coupled to these efforts to create conditions conducive for investment, growth and development, are initiatives to raise the necessary resources to address the development chasm in critical sectors that are highlighted in the Programme, such as infrastructure, education, health, agriculture and Information, Communication and Technology.
This New Initiative is a pledge by African leaders, based on a common vision and a firm and shared conviction that they have a pressing duty to eradicate poverty and to place their countries, both individually and collectively, on a path of sustainable growth and development, and at the same time to participate actively in the world economy and body politic. The Initiative is anchored on the determination of Africans to extricate themselves and the continent from the malaise of underdevelopment and exclusion in a globalising world. It is a call for a new relationship of partnership between Africa and the international community to overcome the development chasm. The partnership is to be founded on a realisation of common interest, benefit and equality.
One of its important strategic objectives is the promotion of peace, security and stability in Africa. Today there is increasing acceptance of the reality that democracy and its ideals are prerequisites for peace. Peace in turn is a prerequisite for democracy and development. So democracy and peace is essential if people centred sustainable development is to be attained.
To achieve the objectives of the New African Initiative, strong institutional structures at the continental and sub-regional levels are required. The OAU Summit thus made the historical decision to transform the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) into the African Union (AU).
The Constitutive Act of the African Union states that the objectives of the AU includes the promotion of democratic principles and institutions, popular participation and good governance. In order to allow the AU to fulfil its objectives, the AU will consist of various institutions including, the Pan African Parliament, the African Court of Justice and the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution. These organs will contribute to the maintenance of transparency and democracy within the organisation. The Pan-African Parliament for example would be a body that would enhance the participation of African peoples, through their elected representatives, in the work of the African Union.
The conviction, that was expressed strongly and emphatically during the Lusaka Summit, was that the African Union should be different – it should not be a mere continuation of the OAU under a different name; and, therefore, the structure that it is endowed with and the capacities build into it have to enable the realisation of the objectives of enhancing the economic, political and social integration and development of the African people. The African Union must be something new, with the emphasis on being an African experience.
The Constitutive Act had been signed by all OAU member states and has, to date, been ratified by fifty-one countries.
With respect to Southern Africa it should be noted that SADC is also undergoing a major restructuring exercise. It is moving towards a more streamlined structure and moving away from the sectoral approaches of the past, in favour of an integrated and co-ordinated programme of activities for the region.
The SADC Summit held in Blantyre earlier this month focused attention on the implementation of the restructuring of the operations of SADC Institutions. This restructuring is expected to give the organisation the institutional framework required to support the New African Initiative. The decision making with the organisation is also been re-examined with proposals that the decision making operate on a troika basis. This will undoubtedly create better conditions for the consolidation of democracy in our region. Good governance, democracy and the rule of law is the foundation on which SADC will develop.
Chairperson,
The Framework for the Development of Norms and Standards for Elections in SADC Conference held from the 11th to the 14th June last year confirmed that "while elections symbolise democracy, the electoral process is only one component of the democratic process. Among the fundamental factors which determine the integrity of elections are a set of values that need to be expressed in the highest law of the land namely inclusiveness, accountability, representivity transparency, tolerance and respect for diversity." These basic values have been agreed to in a number of declarations and instruments of SADC Countries. These include the SADC Treaty, the Harare declaration of 1991 and other declarations relevant to the Development of democratic practices, such as the Declaration on Gender and Development signed by Summit in 1997. Policies must be translated into actions.
The sterling work done by the SADC Electoral Forum of which EISA is an integral part ensures that we "walk the talk". The work and preparations put in by the Electoral Forum played a large part in the successful completion of the various general elections held in the SADC Region over the last two years. Through initiatives such as these, the most visible side of Democracy namely the actual voting, result counting and verification process will be ensured in the SADC Region. This initiative and others are likely to be a crucial factor in the ability of SADC Countries to deliver elections that genuinely reflect the will of the people.
Chairperson,
The challenges of democratisation not only exists within our country or region, but extends to all the organisations and bodies that we interact with.
On a global level we need to review and reform the membership of the Security Council so that it may adequately represent all the regions of the world in a fair and equitable manner. For the developing world, and our region in particular, the need for reform is especially critical, given the fact that many, if not most of the conflicts which threaten international peace and stability take place between, or within, developing states - and given the clear and unambiguous links between endemic conflicts, endemic poverty and the breakdown of law and undemocratic tendencies.
Only if the Security Council is representative and operates in a democratic and transparent manner, will it command the necessary respect and support, not only of all governments, but also of the people to whom its actions and its purpose matter the most, the victims of conflict.
Chairperson,
South Africa is currently hosting the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance. This Conference aims to produce a Declaration and a Programme of Action with specific, forward-looking, and practical recommendations on how Governments and civil society can make the new century free of the scourge of intolerance. A Democracy can never proclaim itself to be a true democracy as long as the evils of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance exist. We as Africans, who were the victims of slavery, colonialism, neo-colonialism and the cold war, must seize the moment and work towards a better continent and world for all.
In conclusion, one cannot over emphasise that the Electoral Institute of Southern Africa whose vision it is to promote democratic principles, free and fair elections, build a strong civil society and affirm the values of self reliance and a culture of human rights in the SADC Region is making a valuable contribution to ensuring that democracy is entrenched in the region. I am confident that you will make an important contribution to the coming elections in Lesotho and Zimbabwe. The SADC Summit in Blantyre welcomed the initiative of Nigerian President Obasanjo to mediate between the Zimbabwean and British Governments. The Summit also established a task force comprising the SADC Troika, Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa, to work with the Government of Zimbabwe on the economic and political issues affecting Zimbabwe. These developments will assist in bringing stability to the region and facilitate EISA initiatives during the elections. I also hope that the Workshop that you are to host in the DRC will contribute to achieving a solution to the conflict.
The ideas and actions generated in your democracy seminar series will be of relevance to us all as we continue to face the challenge of attaining and maintaining democratisation in our countries and our institutions.
Thank you