Episode #53:
Towards Afro-Democracy? (1): Commemorating International Day of Democracy
Ghana joins the global comity of nations to celebrate International Day of Democracy on 15 September.
We at Africa in Focus Show want to therefore use that day to have a very critical and important conversation about the State of Africa's democracy. True, it's a never-ending conversation, especially when Ghana likes to self-plaudit over its entry into democratic dispensation since 1992.
The raison d'être of the show means that this cannot only be about Ghana's democracy, but an attempt to evaluate how far Africa has gone with its democracy.
The show will take place a week after civil society organisations met in Dakar, Senegal, to further-pressurize ECOWAS member states to get serious on two-term democracy. The attempts by ECOWAS at the last ECOWAS summit in Accra, which proved unsuccessful in convincing countries like Togo and Gambia to follow the two-term mandate, may give vent to speculation of a cosmetic attempt for a democratic West Africa. That this recent CSO meeting has taken place so soon reminds us how serious civil society is in contributing to a democratic sub-region.
And how apt!
The theme for the day centres on the centrality of civil society and how it remains the oxygen of democracy.
The raison d'être of the show means that this cannot only be about Ghana's democracy, but an attempt to evaluate how far Africa has gone with its democracy.
The show will take place a week after civil society organisations met in Dakar, Senegal, to further-pressurize ECOWAS member states to get serious on two-term democracy. The attempts by ECOWAS at the last ECOWAS summit in Accra, which proved unsuccessful in convincing countries like Togo and Gambia to follow the two-term mandate, may give vent to speculation of a cosmetic attempt for a democratic West Africa. That this recent CSO meeting has taken place so soon reminds us how serious civil society is in contributing to a democratic sub-region.
And how apt!
The theme for the day centres on the centrality of civil society and how it remains the oxygen of democracy.
As UN SG Ban Ki-Moon put it:
"Civil society is the oxygen of democracy. Civil society acts as a catalyst for social progress and economic growth. It plays a critical role in keeping Government accountable, and helps represent the diverse interests of the population, including its most vulnerable groups."
Small wonder, then, we have a distinguished panel populated by Centre for Democratic Development (CDD); West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP); and AIF's partner West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) to help speak to the State of Africa's Democracy.
"Civil society is the oxygen of democracy. Civil society acts as a catalyst for social progress and economic growth. It plays a critical role in keeping Government accountable, and helps represent the diverse interests of the population, including its most vulnerable groups."
Small wonder, then, we have a distinguished panel populated by Centre for Democratic Development (CDD); West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP); and AIF's partner West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) to help speak to the State of Africa's Democracy.
Call us on the following numbers when we open the phone lines at 14h30 GMT
+233(0)289.000.931 // +233(0)289.931.000
Join us if you can at 1pm on 15 September, 2015.
Guiding questions
· Has democracy become an overly-expensive enterprise?
· Is democracy best-applicable in Africa?
· Is & should democracy be synonymous with economic growth?
· What should the role of CSOs be in facilitating democracy ? How do we assess CSO contribution to deepening democratic dispensation?
· Peace & security first? Or democracy first?
· Is the conversation on two-term limits in West Africa over-flogged?
· Why are we not talking enough about the AU's African Charter on Democracy, Elections & Governance in our democratic discourse?
Guests in the studio:
Ø Mohammed Awal, Research & Documentation Officer, Centre for Democratic Development(CDD)
Ø Chukwueneka Eze, Executive Director, West Africa Network for Peacebuilding(WANEP)
Ø Isaac Hubert Arthur, Head, Research & Documentation, West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI)
Guests on the line:
Ø Dr. Emmanuel Tambi, Policy & Advocacy Manager, Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa(FARA), Accra, Ghana @13h20. Tambi will seek to answer the following questions:
o 1. A week after the STISA2024 Consultative workshop has ended, what is the way forward on the AU's STI agenda, and what will be FARA's central role in helping with implementation?
o 2. What is the way forward for Member States and RECs on the STI agenda?
o 3. What are some of the key activities FARA will be involved in between now and Dec 2015? Any big plans for 2016?
o 4. It is International Day of Democracy on 15 September? What are FARA's thoughts on how STISA advocacy can help facilitate ...
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