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Emerging Democracies Forum
Managing the Twin Transitions
Closing Plenaries
(22 of 25 pages)
Ladies and gentlemen, we have to have within the United Nations a consciousness
and a conscience of the moral authorities which is above any doubt. We should never forget that the United Nations
has been established to serve man and in these new societies where arts and [inaudible] flourish we have to keep
in mind the necessity of involvement and sharing and within such framework Africa will be most willing to contribute
to the edification of such a culture.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Sana'a declaration to which we all looked forward and which I hope will be adopted with
your consent and which will be presented to us by Doctor Abdul Karim Al-Eryani, Prime Minister of Yemen, emphasizes
all these ideas. The Sana'a declaration will stand witness to our thinking and our aspirations here. And in conclusion,
President of the Republic of Yemen, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, let us assume democracy since it is the
best mouthpiece for man but God willing this is the greatest tribute and the very glory of man.
Kim Campbell: Merci, Monsieur le President. I would now like to introduce a man of great vision, a man
that we've heard of a great deal throughout this conference and for whom this moment must be one of particular
delight and joy because of what he is going to discuss. The Prime Minister of Yemen, Abdul Karim Al-Eryani, Prime
Minister El-Eryani.
Prime Minister Al-Eryani: Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, participants in the Forum on the Emerging Democracies.
On your behalf I would like to thank you most sincerely for the participants who have acted as moderators in all
the workshops and meetings that were held during the past three days and who had the duty to summarize and make
a synthesis of all what you have done and all which found in a declaration hoping that you will support what is
to be found therein.
I would like to express again on your behalf our sincere thanks and appreciation to Mrs. Campbell and Mr. Gonzalez
Sanchez Lozada, the previous President of Bolivia for the excellent work as co-chairs of this forum and to make
it really a delight and a fruitful forum. Let me read the declaration to you now: "…Emerging Democracies
Forum in Sana'a, Yemen, from June 27th to 30th, 1999 from 16 countries assembled to acknowledge our democratic
achievements, to address common challenges we face in the transition to full democracy and to re-affirm our commitment
to democratic rights and principles. The forum was a unique gathering, bringing together a diverse group of participants
and countries whose democratic advances are less known. We recognize that the transition process is not complete
and that much needs to be done to consolidate our democratic systems and to implement further political and economic
reforms. While we are proud to have joined the growing community of democracies, the international community has
tended to focus on countries that are considered strategically more important or are in crisis. However, democratic
progress in our states contribute to peace, stability and prosperity both within and beyond our borders. Reflecting
the importance of all sectors of society in the endeavor, the participants of the forum included government officials,
members of governing and opposition parties and the representatives of labor, business and civic groups from Benin,
Bolivia, El Salvador, Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guyana, Macedonia, Malawi, Mali, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal and Yemen.
We represent a diversity of democratic experience. But our attendance at this forum demonstrates the universality
of the democratic idea. This group of nations with different traditions, cultures and historical experiences was
brought together by a shared commitment to democracy and it believes that promise of economic prosperity enjoyed
by all citizens is more likely realized in a democratic political environment based on respect for human rights,
popular participation and the rule of law.
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