Comments on: African Democracy

By: KHZ

KHZ — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 14:01:53 +0000

Over 30 civil society groups working on democracy and governance in Africa came together in Pretoria, South Africa, on 22-23 February 2010, to discuss strategies for the popularization, ratification, and implementation of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, which was adopted by the African Union in January 2007.

These groups discussed the significance of the Charter particularly now that the resurgence of unconstitutional changes of government has been witnessed in Africa in recent years. The meeting also focused on civil society strategies for popularize the Charter among various stakeholders and identify targets for the ratification process. In addition to Ethiopia and Mauritania, two countries – Sierra Leone and Bukina Faso – recently ratified the Charter.

During the meeting, it was announced by South Africa’s Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms. Sue van der Merwe, that South African President Jacob Zuma recently signed the Charter and asked the Parliament to ratify. In order for the Charter to come to effect, at least 15 countries need to ratify. The meeting was organized by IDASA and the African Democracy Forum (ADF). Please see the Declaration issued by the meeting participants.

By: Alexander Eichener

Alexander Eichener — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 10:52:27 +0000

Somaliland is indeed a very important positive example.
That is the reason why many foreigners and virtually all African states try their utmost to ignore it, and to pretend that it not there.

By: Korey Merganthaler

Korey Merganthaler — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 17:10:50 +0000

Thank you for the sound critique. Me and my neighbour were just preparing to do some research about this. I am very happy to see such great information being shared freely out there.

By: CTerry

CTerry — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:19:48 +0000

I wonder what the author thinks of Somaliland’s seemingly successful model of melding clan politics with liberal democracy.

By: Wajane

Wajane — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 12:25:12 +0000

As an African Academic in the west, this is the 1st piece of analysis that I feel begins to truly look at the problem of implementing a liberal democracy and elections in Africa.

Africa needs to develop its own brand of democracy that is best suited for its diverse people. The western Liberal Democratic model plays a significant role in developing this model of African democracy but it should not be taken in its entirety.

Nice work

By: Pip Bevan

Pip Bevan — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 20:47:00 +0000

Have there been any theoretical analyses or actual experiments of proportional representation?

By: alessandra fontana

alessandra fontana — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:16:48 +0000

Very interesting analysis. What does this mean for the prospects of “replicating” western-style democracy in Sub-Saharan africa? Are we talking about hundreds of political parties representing all ethnicities? Or accepting that the game that predicates that whichever ethnicity access power will eat while in power – and the others will do so as well, but only when they manage to access power in their turn?
Alessandra