NDI and its partner organizations convened the inaugural symposium of the African Statesmen Initiative (ASI) in Bamako, Mali, from June 5-8, 2005. This high level symposium brought together African former heads of state and government who remain active in democracy promotion and conflict prevention initiatives on the continent. Click here to visit the ASI website.
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ASI is a concept embraced by African former heads of state and government who seek to continue their contributions to the political, social, and economic development of the continent. As statesmen who have served in the highest office in their respective countries, these leaders are uniquely positioned to positively impact ongoing efforts at democratization and good governance. Discussions with these leaders has underscored the need to build sustainable capacity on "Leadership and Democratization in Africa." The inaugural symposium in Bamako was the first step to what portends to be a beneficial continent-wide effort.
The goals of this initiative are to: encourage democratic former heads of state and government to continue to play a constructive role in democratization efforts across the continent; provide a forum for these leaders to share experiences on democratization and conflict management initiatives that they have undertaken since leaving office; and highlight their efforts and potential new outlets for their expertise in the areas of democratization and good governance.
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Over the last decade, Africa has experienced a noticeable expansion of political space with credible elections and a peaceful turnover of political power in many countries. The continent also enjoys increased freedom of independent media, the emergence of a vibrant civil society and an increase in the number of women running for public office.
Moreover, new initiatives have emerged within the African Union, including the New Partnership for Africa's Development and its peer review mechanism, as well as the Peace and Security Council. At the same time, serious challenges remain. In some countries, democratization has stagnated, political discourse is polarized, or conflict has increased.
Fortunately there now exists a pool of African statesmen who can provide leadership to mitigate conflict and advance democratic institutions and processes. Extensive high-level consultations with nearly a dozen African former presidents confirmed the significance and timeliness of ASI and the issues addressed at the Initiative's inaugural gathering, including security and democratization, elections standards, public health improvements, economic development, and youth and women's political participation. Senior level Africans and friends of the continent in academia and non-governmental organizations eagerly volunteered to assist with preparations in this initial phase. Participants expect the suggestions and recommendations that emerged from the inaugural symposium to further encourage former heads of state and government to use their unique expertise to promote political, social, and economic development across Africa.
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This Bamako meeting was particularly timely given the high number of African former heads of state and government participating and their potential impact on similar emerging initiatives on the continent. By coming together, these African leaders have demonstrated their ongoing commitment to peace, security, democracy and prosperity.
Contact Information
For more information, please contact:
Mary Margaret Dineen, Senior Program Manager
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Updated May 2006
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