Bamako Declaration of the African Statesmen Initiative
<http://allafrica.com/sources.html?passed_name=National%20Democratic%20Institute%20for%20International%20Affairs&passed_location=Washington,%20DC>National
Democratic Institute for International Affairs
(Washington, DC)
SPONSOR WIRE
June 8, 2005
Bamako
We, 15 former heads of state and government from
across the African continent, have gathered in
Bamako, Mali, from June 5 to 8, 2005, to discuss
the individual and collaborative contributions
that former leaders can make to address the
urgent challenges facing Africa today.
We believe that democracy is the sole form of
government that permits the development of the
range of national institutions needed to ensure
sustainable peace, security, economic growth and
social well-being. We applaud the spread of
democratic values and respect for the rights of
citizens in a growing number of African
countries. We commit ourselves to continuing to
use our good offices to foster dialogue and the
peaceful resolution of the continent's conflicts,
and to promote human security and democratic
models of government that offer citizens the
opportunity to choose their leaders freely and
participate fully in the political life of their
countries. We will continue to work to address
the threat of HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and
other public health crises, and to encourage
sustainable economic development and the
protection of our rich but fragile ecosystems.
Since leaving office, African leaders have
offered their experience and expertise and often
succeeded in promoting peace, democracy and human
rights across the continent and in international
forums. They have sought to safeguard the
integrity and transparency of electoral systems,
to draw attention to the ravages of malaria,
tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and other infectious
diseases, to encourage the participation of women
in politics, and to improve access to education
and economic opportunities for Africans,
especially youth. They have acted as mediators in
resolving conflicts in a number of countries,
while analyzing and drawing attention to the root
causes of war in others. Many former leaders have
contributed to the development and progress of
emerging regional and sub-regional bodies such as
the African Union and the New Partnership for
Africa's Development (NEPAD). At the same time,
former leaders also serve as a voice for Africa
in the international community.
We acknowledge that Africa is a mosaic where in
many places, political leaders - both governing
and opposition - and civil society are building
and reinforcing the institutions of democratic
change and renewal, while forming important
alliances to alleviate poverty, combat disease
and protect our environments. We welcome the
future participation of outgoing heads of state
and government in efforts to promote democratic
principles, good governance, and human security
and development through individual and collective
action.
We believe that by harnessing the rich human and
material resources available to the continent, it
is possible - and indeed vital - to help
transform an African dream of peace, prosperity,
opportunity into reality for the continent's
citizens. We note with appreciation the work of
existing forums to bring together former heads of
state and government, including the Club de
Madrid, the Council of Presidents and Prime
Ministers of the Americas and Boston University's
African Presidential Archives and Research
Center, as well as international organizations,
academia and non-governmental organizations that
have offered technical expertise and created
opportunities for former heads of state to serve
the continent in meaningful ways. We welcome new
initiatives being discussed, such as the Council
of Elders by NEPAD, and within the Commonwealth.
We support the initiative of the United Nations
Development Programme to establish the Africa
Governance Institute as an incubator of
innovative ideas, an institutional vehicle for
assembling tried and tested measures, and a forum
for dialogue between international and local
partners on governance issues.
In concluding our deliberations over the past
three days, we affirm and commit ourselves to the
following:
Leadership, Security and Conflict Resolution
Individually and collectively, we commit to
promoting strong and sustainable processes and
institutions of democratic governance on the
continent. We highlight the important role of
militaries and security forces in protecting
citizens, as well as the necessity for civilian
oversight of the military. We recognize the
importance of addressing the challenges and root
causes of conflicts that undermine the
development of accountable and inclusive
democratic rule. We encourage the international
community to commit resources to the prevention
of conflicts and to support fully peacekeeping
efforts by regional and international bodies.
We are preoccupied by the prevalence of conflict
in a number of African countries, and support
efforts by the United Nations, the African Union
and other regional bodies to resolve them through
dialogue and reconciliation. We will continue to
be available to undertake mediation and conflict
prevention efforts, and to assist the process of
conflict resolution through the development and
implementation of sustainable peace processes
based on reconciliation, justice and democratic
principles.
We affirm that changes of power and political
succession should always be based on
constitutional rule and democratic principles. We
are gravely concerned that a number of countries
are still experiencing serious difficulties in
meeting such requirements for successful
democratic transitions. We urge that inclusive
frameworks for dialogue be created in such
countries in order to chart a course toward
reconciliation and consolidation of democracy.
Sustainable Democratization
We affirm the special responsibility of former
heads of state and government to support the
development of strong, well functioning
legislative and judicial bodies, as well as other
public institutions to ensure public
accountability. We commit to addressing the
barriers that prevent the full political
participation of women. We will continue to
support the development of free and participatory
electoral processes as the method for settling
peacefully the competition for power. We
recognize that no election can be separated from
its broader historical and cultural context and
that elections must be conducted with full
respect for internationally recognized civil and
political rights. When organized hastily in
post-conflict situations and without attention to
the root causes of violence or to overcoming
previous exclusionary policies and practices, we
know from experience that elections can
exacerbate rather than resolve instability. Yet,
we recognize that while elections are
insufficient to create democracy, democratic
governance is not possible without genuine
elections. Such elections require workable and
participatory political systems, and the
promotion and support of wider civic and voter
education efforts.
Drawing on African traditions of consensus and
inclusive dialogue, we note in particular the
need to foster internal democracy within
political parties, and to develop and reinforce
the role of opposition and minority voices in
governance structures. We draw attention to the
ongoing decentralization programs of many
countries and encourage these efforts to extend
democratic participation to the communal level.
We encourage the international community to
commit resources to democratization efforts at
all levels of governance. In this regard, we
acknowledge the recently proposed United Nations
democracy fund and encourage that it be
appropriately funded if approved.
Public Health Imperatives
We recognize that deadly diseases, such as
malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, create a
health crisis that is robbing the continent of
valuable human resources and exacerbating
poverty. Their unchecked spread undermines
confidence in nascent democracies, as citizens'
expectations for improved socio-economic
standards are frustrated. As former heads of
state and government, we want to join with others
in government and civil society to promote
awareness, mobilize resources and improve access
to health care. We encourage in particular the
international community to commit the resources
necessary to effectively address these public
health challenges. We commit ourselves to working
toward a continent-wide consensus on an
integrated approach to limit the impact of and
ultimately eradicate disease. Of serious concern
is the increasing exodus of qualified health
workers from the continent. In the search for
solutions, incentives must be created to retain
and reward them.
Social and Economic Development
As former heads of state and government, we have
an ongoing responsibility to support efforts that
address poverty and stimulate sustainable social
and economic growth. During this gathering, we
reviewed the initiatives, instruments and
institutions essential for Africa's economic
development and social well-being, with the
understanding that the establishment of
democratic institutions at all levels of
government is the best way to assure sustainable
development. Rural dislocation, environmental
degradation and agricultural policies that lead
to famine can best be overcome by political
systems that are responsive and accountable to
their citizens. At the same time, the
international community must in our view make
greater financial investments in human and
infrastructure development on the continent.
Greater efforts must be undertaken in partnership
with the international community and
international financial institutions to improve
food security and access to potable water.
Special attention must be paid to improving
Africans' access to the internet and other forms
of communication that bind nations and
individuals together in today's global economy.
We support the promotion of trade and economic
exchange within Africa and between Africa and the
broader international community in accordance
with the NEPAD economic program. In addition, we
emphasize the need to invest much more in the
continent's educational institutions to train and
prepare the youth of today for the challenges of
tomorrow. We note with special concern the
importance of extending educational opportunities
to girls, who are more often than boys denied
access to primary and secondary schools.
We wish to express our gratitude to President
Amadou Toumani Touré and the Government of Mali
for helping to facilitate this meeting of the
African Statesmen Initiative, and the Malian
people for their hospitality. We also express our
thanks to the National Democratic Institute (NDI)
for supporting this initiative as well as other
organizations that have contributed to this
effort. They are: the National Endowment for
Democracy; the Club de Madrid; the Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation; the United Nations
Development Programme; the Government of Germany;
the Institute for Multiparty Democracy of the
Netherlands; the Africa Center for Strategic
Studies; the Open Society Institute of West
Africa; the Westminster Foundation for Democracy
and USAID.
We also express our gratitude for the
participation in this meeting of former Canadian
Prime Minister Kim Campbell and former Romanian
Prime Minister Petre Roman, both Club de Madrid
members, and others who contributed to our
deliberations.
Nicéphore Soglo, former President, Benin
Ketumile Masire, former President, Botswana
Antonio Mascarenhas Monteiro, former President, Cape Verde
Dawda Kairaba Jawara, former President, The Gambia
Jerry Rawlings, former President, Ghana
Amos Sawyer, former President, Liberia
Albert Zafy, former President, Madagascar
Joaquim Chissano, former President, Mozambique
Sam Nujoma, former President, Namibia
Mahamane Ousmane, former President, Niger
Yakubu Gowon, former President, Nigeria
Manuel Pinto da Costa, former President, Sao Tome and Principe
Miguel Trovoada, former President, Sao Tome and Principe
Al Sadig Al-Mahdi, former Prime Minister, Sudan
Ali Hassan Mwinyi, former President, Tanzania