Gaborone — Botswana has been hailed as a champion and a reliable supporter of peace and democracy.
Giving a keynote address to launch the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) global state of democracy annual report, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi said the period of democratic governance in Botswana has assured political stability and economic development over the years.
"We hold a strong conviction that we are better served by strong institutions rather than strong men or women," President Masisi said.
While acknowledging there was no single and universal model of democracy, he said the existence of democracy was the bond that made the world a safe domain for mankind irrespective of social, political or economic differences.
He said through such institutions as International IDEA, the world ought to ensure that democracy was preserved.
"Botswana is proud to be one of the funding members of International IDEA and proud of outstanding work the institution does to nurture world democracy," he said. It is worrisome that the state of global democracy has been declining worldwide as per the International Ideas report across the four main measured categories of performance; rule of law, rights, representation and participation."
He said the International Ideas report thus presented a unique opportunity for the world to analyse the health of democracy globally and suggest option to ensure its adaptation, flexibility and innovation.
The findings of the report, President Masisi said, was a genuine course for concern as it depicts a general erosion in world democracy and good governance, adding that recent coup d'états in African states illustrated the onslaught on democracy.
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He said it was important to commend countries working towards promotion of democracy, and encouraged new democracies to prevent backsliding, thus highlighted the importance of strengthening partnerships between countries and democracy organisations such as International IDEA .
To that end, President Masisi urged governments to embrace key democracy institutions to strengthen capacity-building, public institutions and other pertinent national economic developing initiatives that renew social contracts.
He reassured government's firm commitment to continue working with International IDEA and other member states to support and enhance the state of democracy globally.
International IDEA is an intergovernmental organisation that supports democracy worldwide as well as advances, promotes and protects sustainable democracy worldwide in consideration of human rights commitments through policy-relevant knowledge, capacity development, advocacy, and the convening of dialogues.
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