President of Zambia Hakainde Hichilema.
Dan Kitwood
- The first Summit for Democracy in 2021 was themed the “Year of Action”.
- Zambia will co-host the second summit, which is scheduled for March next year.
- The US wants to prove, via the summit, that democracy is still the best system.
Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema will be Africa’s host for next year’s Summit for Democracy, at the behest of the United States.
This was announced at the recent US-Africa Leaders Summit.
The Summit for Democracy will take place in March 2023.
The other countries, with similar roles as co-hosts, are Costa Rica, the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea.
According to the US Department of State, “the second summit will assemble world leaders in a virtual, plenary format, followed by gatherings in each of our countries with representatives from government, civil society, and the private sector”.
The first such summit was held on 9 December last year, under the theme “Year of Action”.
The next summit will review the “Year of Action”.
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“Together, we will showcase progress made by summit partners on commitments during the ‘Year of Action’, and will organise collective action to address emerging challenges to democracy,” the state department said.
According to the US, democracy and human rights are under threat around the world, and “public distrust and the failure of governments to deliver equitable and sustainable economic and political progress have fuelled political polarisation and the rise of leaders who are undermining democratic norms and institutions”.
The department added: “We have to prove democracy still works and can improve people’s lives in tangible ways.”
The summit, scheduled for 29 and 30 March, will be ahead of elections due in 25 African countries.
Zimbabwe, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Madagascar, Nigeria, Somaliland, South Sudan, Sierra Leone and Sudan will hold presidential and general elections.
Eswatini, Togo, Mozambique, Mauritania, Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Ghana, Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire, Comoros, Djibouti, Benin and Central African Republic will have either local or parliamentary elections.
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