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Emerging Democracies Forum
Managing the Twin Transitions
Closing Plenaries
(21 of 25 pages)
Ladies and gentlemen, as far as Mali is concerned and as far as all young countries,
developing countries are concerned, it is essential to know whether we are well aware of the roots of the evils
that befall us and of which we suffer so that we can redress these evils. And even if we have said that democracy
without sufficient sources is fiction we can safely say that there is no political system which unleashes hidden
resources more than the democratic system. And that is why we should multiply our efforts and our energies which
should be harmless for edification and the [inaudible] for the democracy and we should incessantly seek to establish
the solid states based on the reign of law and order and to enjoy free elections. Problems facing democracy are
to struggle day after day in order not to fall back into the one-party system once more. But the ruling party,
if it represents the majority, if it stays in power for a long time, falls into the pit of establishing certain
traditions of the ruling power and eventually we may fall into the problems where most of the institutions are
within the hands of one single party, even if it is so-called democratic.
Ladies and gentlemen, the political arena in Africa opens the door for other opposition parties which may not be
democratic to speak up and the major risks facing us today menacing our young democracies are the challenges with
regards to election and the boycott of elections, the refusal to accept the results of elections. And if such
a situation is perpetrated this will lead to a situation of anarchy and chaos where the logic of force reigns and
the logic of armed forces. And very often to explain the method of confronting such a challenge by the use of
force is actually used and we go back to the starting points.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is important to enrich democracy in order to confirm its universal character and features.
And as far as we are concerned in Africa we should base ourselves on African tradition that is a consensus and
involvement and participation that respect of neighbors and the respect for the agents. It is essential to share
and participate in the culture and mentality of these and the culture of solidarity and the culture of work that
is work well done. To us this is an enterprise that cannot possibly be set up or established without sufficient
efforts and the involvement of all parties. In order to set up a proper system of [inaudible] and elections based
on sharing we have to take into account the civil community that it should itself participate in controlling the
election procedures and not to have, to import observers and controllers from outside.
And when there are doubts or uncertainties with regards to certain national circles these have to be attended to
first. Then there is the law on national integration and decentralization and the definition of national parties
and opposition parties, all these legislations and acts have to be well-defined within the framework of a problem
based on a consensus that should not be confused.
Our political parties should be at peace and should rest assured that they are there to contribute to the establishment
and consolidation of democracy in the service of mutual interests and there should be a minimum of democracy based
on the rejection of all forms of violence established on the acceptance of states of the sovereignty of [inaudible]
and the respect and recognition for rights. What we need is an openness for new developments. It should not be
a sort of a ping pong game where the rules are exchanged without real deep conviction. Otherwise this will spell
the undermining of the democratic establishment. It is rotation and rotation alone which will usher the way to
stability and the respect of various views and will ensure the protection of the power and authority from any menacing
corruption.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, if all conditions are good and well and if the establishment and realization
of all these conditions and the fulfillment of all these prerequisites are realized and available and if everyone
realizes the gravity of the African external [inaudible] under which the Africans suffer [TAPE FLIP] magnitude
of the efforts that have to be made and the great strides that African countries are called upon to take without
having sufficient resources. We have to keep in mind our specific conditions, situations and priorities. That
is why the future of Africa should be realized at all prices, including sub-regional integration and brining together
all these angles and factors which have the ability to affect this important and significant rule. Thus we have
to involve the civil society in all these activities.
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