Our journey towards robust democracies in Africa is ongoing, with aspirations for democracies that are uniquely African, inclusive, and consensus-driven.
In a region marked by diverse cultures, histories, and socioeconomic landscapes, pursuing effective governance is both a collective endeavour and a reflection of our shared values. As we navigate the complexities of political transitions, electoral processes, and governance structures, it becomes increasingly clear that forging pathways that resonate with the aspirations and realities of our societies is ideal. The quest for African democracies that are genuinely collaborative and inclusive at all levels remains paramount.
At a recent Democracy Works Foundation Symposium themed Moving Beyond the Rhetoric: The Role of Regional Economic Communities and Normative Frameworks in Advancing Democratic Governance and Electoral Integrity in Southern Africa, stakeholders from the political sphere, civil society, and African Governance Architecture (AGA) and African Union (AU) convened to discuss strategies for moving beyond rhetoric for advancing democratic governance and electoral integrity, capitalising on the opportunities presented by digitisation.
The symposium keynote speakers and presentations emphasised to the various stakeholders the importance of understanding and leveraging the African Union (AU) and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) normative frameworks to cultivate inclusive democracy within political institutions and civil society organisations working in advancing democracy.
Head of the African Governance Architecture, African Peace and Security Architecture (AGA-APSA) Secretariat Ambassador Salah S. Hammad, in his official opening remarks, probed: "How many of us here in this room know about the existence of the African Charter on Democracy Elections and Governance? How many of us know there are instruments and mechanisms fighting corruption in Africa? How many of us here in this room know about the great Charter on Human and People's Rights, promoting human and people's rights in Africa?"
Aptly, in his welcome address, DWF Regional Director and Chief of Party of The Political Parties for Resilient and Inclusive Democracies in Southern Africa, Dr Augustine Magolowondo, explained the significance of this cross-cutting gathering and platform for collaboration and peer-to-peer knowledge sharing, "We saw it as a matter of great importance for Democracy Works Foundation, as a democracy development organisation invested in providing tools and platforms to build thriving democracies, to bring together political parties, civil society, and AGA members in one space to reflect on the importance of regional economic communities in advancing democratic governance in the region. We would also want to leverage the opportunities presented by the regional developments in the last couple of years, where normative frameworks and principles have evolved, to deepen democratic governance further."
Although the AU established the RECs and normative frameworks to serve as pillars for advancing democratic governance, there remains a crucial need for awareness and collaboration among various stakeholders to effectively implement and adhere to these frameworks.
RECs are regional groupings of African states developed individually with differing roles and structures to facilitate regional economic integration between members of the individual regions and through the wider African Economic Community (AEC). The RECs, including the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), have expanded their roles to include promoting continental norms on democracy and governance. The African Governance Architecture (AGA), a platform for dialogue between the various stakeholders mandated to promote good governance and strengthen democracy in Africa, seeks to implement the African 'shared values' contained in the AU's Constitutive Act and in the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG).
DWF's Moving Beyond the Rhetoric: The Role of Regional Economic Communities and Normative Frameworks in Advancing Democratic Governance and Electoral Integrity in Southern Africa symposium is an intervention that aimed at amplifying the knowledge and awareness of political actors, civil society and AU-AGA members. It fostered peer-to-peer learning on the evolving role of technology in citizen engagement, democratic processes, electoral integrity, and collaborative advocacy mechanisms among the attending key stakeholders for inclusive democracy building. Highlighting the role of technology and E-democracy, a fusion of electronic tools and democratic processes in strengthening democracy, the Pan-African Online Citizen Consultation platform was demonstrated to the participants. This online platform was developed to provide information, resources and tools for citizens also to make it easier for them to share their voices while also learning about the commitments in the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG) - the African Union's principal policy document for advancing democratic governance in African Union member states.
Recognising the significant youth population in Africa and the importance of digital platforms for amplifying citizen voices, the Charter Project Africa has been implemented in 11 countries in Africa by a consortium of six African and European organisations: AfricTivistes, Code for Africa (CfA), Gorée Institute, European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) and European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) including DWF, in collaboration with youth-led Civil Society Organisations to amplify citizens voice through use of civic technology.
Digital technology has revolutionised electoral systems, including election campaigns and how political parties are administered. The role of political parties remains a core tenet of democracy building and inclusive governance in the region; whether political parties are an asset or a liability to inclusive democratic governance depends, among other things, on the context within which they operate, their mode of internal management, and how they respond to external political stimuli. Internal democracy is, therefore, a crucial aspect of entrenching inclusive governance.
As several African countries prepare for elections in 2024, the symposium's discussions emphasised the urgency of strengthening democratic leadership and culture within political parties. " Democracy is a political system that empowers citizens to hold governments accountable and responsive to their demands. To gain more public trust, political parties must start entrenching internal democracy - political parties and governments ruled through consultation, consent, persuasion, and dialogue. The principles of a democratic system include accountability, responsiveness, transparency, justice, equality, rule of law, human rights and constitutionalism. Therefore, there is no democracy without democrats," said Professor Khabele Matlosa, former AU Commission Director for Political Affairs, co-author of the ACDEG, and keynote speaker at the symposium.
By harnessing and embracing the collective efforts of multiple stakeholders, Africa can pave the way for a more democratic and prosperous future centred on innovation and cohesion.
The symposium unpacked in detail the various platforms and ways in which civil society and political parties can access RECs, with Charter Project Africa grantees presenting on how they were using the financial and technical resources and expertise provided by the project to implement civic initiatives aimed at promoting democracy, particularly those led by under-represented groups in Botswana, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia.
Prof Matlosa, in his plenary session, urged countries that have not yet accepted nor ratified the ACDEG to do so, as a matter of priority to ensure civic rights and democracy prevail and thrive.
Attended by various political parties from Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia and South Africa, it was astonishing to witness ideologically diverse political parties engaging based on issues, not political affiliations. The political party representatives themselves commended DWF for bringing them together in one room, not only South African or ruling parties but all political parties contesting for elections. Notably, Dr Molefe Phirinyane, Commissioner at the Independent Electoral Commission of Botswana, who also represented the Electoral Commissions Forum of SADC Countries (ECF SADC), espoused on the role of electoral bodies, shedding more light on how political parties can collaborate better with election management bodies to maintain electoral integrity during elections.
As the symposium was hosted in South Africa, the ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), echoed its values for democracy, with South Africa commemorating 30 years of being a democratic state and preparing for the upcoming elections on 29 May 2024. "Democracy works. This a philosophical proposition that we (the government) share deeply. We believe that democracy works, and it must be preserved as the best institutional and political arrangement to guarantee the prosperity of humanity as a whole, " Zuko Godlimpi, Representative of the Secretary-General and National Executive Committee member of the ANC and Deputy Chairperson of the Economic Transformation Committee of the ANC.
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In closing the three-day gathering, Ambassador Hamad's emotive remarks highlighted the fact that each country's actions affect everyone on a personal, country, and continental level." My country, Sudan, is going through a horrific civil war because of a conflict between two people whom politicians support. So politicians can make or break our countries. That is why we (the AU) are pleading with politicians to leave a good legacy. It seems like we haven't learned from the experience of Angola, Rwanda and what is going on now in DRC, Mali, Niger, Chad and other countries in the Sahel. Because we are blessed to be leaders of our people, we are obliged to give back to our people. We are compelled to respond to our people's needs and challenges to build the Africa that we want and deserve."
The Ambassador's sentiment underscores our collective responsibility to safeguard democratic leadership, culture, and institutions in our beloved continent.
Indeed, democracy works, if only we all play our part. Every vote cast, every knowledge shared, every dialogue heard, and every effort made toward cultivating inclusivity and accountability eventually contributes to the resilience of our democracies.
Watch our participants and stakeholders sharing their key takeaways and tools for moving beyond rhetoric.
Dr Augustine Magolowondo shares the symposium's main objects https://youtu.be/50hGzhQoxxU
Participants and stakeholders share their key takeaways and tools to move beyond the rhetoric.
Day 2: https://youtu.be/TOiSeJV3rXM
Day 3: https://youtu.be/v0QMYG5SYJc
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-democracy
https://www.afrobarometer.org/about/what-we-do/
Political Parties in Southern Africa: The State of Parties and their Role in Democratization, Professor, Report prepared for the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA): Lead Author: Prof Khabele Matlosa
