INTERNATIONALE LIBÉRALE

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Democracy in Africa

The 169th Executive of The Liberal International

Welcomes the initiative of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad)

Welcomes the commitment made in Nepad to 'respect the global standards of democracy, the core components of which include political pluralism, allowing for the existence of several political parties and workers' unions and fair open and democratic elections periodically organised to enable people to choose their leaders freely';

Takes this opportunity to emphasise the need for strong liberal parties, and to highlight the achievements of liberals, democrats and liberal Parties in Africa in their commitment to achieving democratic and sustainable development and human rights for all Africans: in particular

- Welcomes the opportunity for peace and democratic elections in Angola, and congratulates the Parti Liberal Democratique on their long commitment to peace and democratic development in Angola.

- Notes with grave concern the intervention of the military in the political arena, and the threatened and actual violence perpetrated against politicians and activists; including the harassment of members of RDR whose leadership, in particular Dr Alassane Ouattara and Madame Henriette Diabat? have had to seek refuge in foreign embassies in fear of their lives;

- Notes the two terms of President Muluzi of Malawi and the Government of Malawi and welcomes the achievements made in that period, notes with concern the current famine in Malawi, congratulates the efforts of the President and his party in averting escalation of the crisis and urges the international community to support the Government of Malawi in reducing the scale of the famine and of preventing further future instances of famine;

- Congratulates our liberal colleague President Wade for his prominent role as one of the 4 key players in establishing Nepad, and congratulates him and his party for their exemplary liberal governance in Senegal;

- Welcomes the formation of the Democratic Alliance in South Africa as a principled alternative to the ANC, and congratulates especially the continued stance of leader Tony Leon MP in highlighting the situation in Zimbabwe, and his commitment to accountability of Government, principled opposition, the fight against AIDS and social justice in South Africa;

- Welcomes the peace agreement reached between CCM, Civic United Front, the United Democratic Party and other parties in Tanzania, congratulates the Civic United Front for their key role in achieving this agreement, and now urges implementation of the agreement and the support of the international community in doing this;

- Welcomes the commitment of the United Party for National Development in Zambia to a peaceful campaign for democracy, despite the difficulties surrounding the recent elections in Zambia, and calls on the Government of Zambia to allow a fair and independent hearing of the petitions presented for recounts of certain election results.

- Notes with concern the ongoing intimidation and harassment of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in Zimbabwe, most recently involving intimidation of candidates for the local elections and obstruction of some electoral processes; urges action by the international community, and especially by other African Governments to condemn and seek to reverse the threats to democracy in Zimbabwe presented by the current regime, including through an expansion of current sanctions, and suspension of Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth;

welcomes the active participation of all liberal parties and individual liberals in the Organisation of African Liberal Parties (Africa Liberal Network) as a common and effective voice for liberals in Africa, speaking on behalf of all Africans within Liberal International and beyond.