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Emerging Democracies Forum
Managing the Twin Transitions
Opening Ceremonies
(25 of 29 pages)
We are happy to be here to learn from you, to tell you of our own experiences,
and to hopefully take back from this conference, and from Yemen, new tools and ideas to improve our constitution.
On which we are working at the moment, to improve our democracy, and the economic and social life of Guyana. Thank
you.
Les Campbell: Thank you for the remarks from the delegation of Guyana. The last delegation today is Malawi.
If you would like to take the floor…
Malawi Delegate: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to join the other colleagues in congratulating the government
of Yemen and NDI, and other donation partners for allowing Malawi to participate in this delegation. Possibly Malawi's
presentation this morning is unique because I come from the civil society. I hear most of the government delegation
here talking about civil society and I'm happy that my delegation has asked me to represent them this morning.
Malawi is a small country in Southern Africa, north of Mozambique, and west of Zambia, and is a former colony of
the British government. For the past 31 years it was ruled under a one-party dictatorship and there was severe
abuse of human rights. Until 1993 when the transitional process started through consality process which resulted
in the developing of a new constitution with an entrenched bill of rights. Since then the government of Malawi
and its peoples are committed to establishing institutions of human rights and governance. For example, the Office
of the Law Commission, the ombudsman, the anti-corruption bureau, and the human rights commission. It has also
set in motion a committee for human rights and good governance which presents together the donor community, the
government, and civil society to map out the process of development. As most of us are aware, Malawi is a poor
country. The challenge of establishing a democratic institution meant that shifting scarce resources from socialist
development to establishing good democratic processes. The new constitution has guaranteed separation of powers
between the executive, the judiciary, and the registration. The challenge in Malawi is that despite political environment
and economic environment, the people of Malawi have to develop capacity to access justice, to influence policy,
and also to prioritize their economic agenda. Malawi participates in the structural adjustment program initiated
by the World Bank and IMF. And the program has brought severe economic hardships for the people in that the political
gains, which have been met, are now frustrated. The view is that the donational community is not focused or strengthened
in creating safety nets to provide the pins that are accompanied by economic liberalization.
The other challenge that is facing the government of Malawi is the servicing of foreign debt. It is my view to
join other poor countries to call upon international institutions and bilateral relations that Malawi would benefit
a lot in considering debt cancellation or other means of concessions in achieving economic development. Malawi
has also embarked on a poverty program and privatization program. However, these will not bear much fruit unless
there's local capacity to create safety nets where the public can participate meaningfully in spreading the scarce
resources.
Mr. Chairman, in conclusion I would say that Malawi has just come out of election last week and that would explain
why the high delegation from government is not here because they are trying to pack up the ballot papers that people
had voted. I would say that the elections had gone on well despite that Malawi is a very regionally divided country.
And the challenge of the government at the moment is to unite the people in a more pragmatic process that will
ensure unity and pave the way for economic development. The women in Malawi are committed to participate. However,
with our scarce resources they would need a lot of support to assist them and open up opportunities that exist.
I would say that Malawi is a functioning democracy, and it is providing a shining example in Sadeke and Africa
at large in moving forward in a democratic process.
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