Democracy vital for development, says UN
By George Murumba
20th Sept 2010
UN Chief Ban Ki-moon
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said democracy is an “indispensable” tool to better the lives of people around the world. The world’s top diplomat made the remark on the occasion of the International Day of Democracy that was celebrated on 15th Sept.
This year’s International Day of Democracy fell just days before the start of a three-day gathering at the UN Headquarters in New York where world leaders gathered to measure progress achieved so far in pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals [MDGs].
The MDGs are eight globally agreed targets against poverty, hunger, disease and other social and economic ills to be met by 2015. “…We have an important opportunity to underline the pivotal role that democracy plays in reducing poverty and promoting human wellbeing”, the UN chief said.
He noted that at the 2005 World Summit, global leaders agreed that democracy, development and human rights are linked and mutually reinforcing. In the 2000 Millennium Declaration, all of the world’s governments also vowed to “spare no effort” to promote democracy, bolster the rule of law, and enhance respect for the right to development.
The UN Secretary General also said oversight, civil society, and the free exchange of ideas are among the hallmarks of democracy and that they are essential to spurring economic growth and achieving social justice. But he warned against jeopardizing hard won democratic gains.
“…Setbacks in democratic advancement are setbacks for development. The more people have a genuine say in their own governance, the more development is likely to take hold”, Mr. Ban Ki-moon emphasised.
The General Assembly declared the International Day of Democracy to commemorate the 1997 adoption by the Inter-Parliamentary Union of the Universal Declaration on Democracy.
This year’s occasion was marked in the fledgling nation of Timor-Leste with a speech contest for high school students. More than 145 students from all 13 districts of the South-East Asian nation took part in this year’s competition. The theme was: “As a citizen of Timor-Leste, what does democracy mean to you”?
Following on from that theme, Uganda Correspondent would like to hear your views on the subject. As a citizen of Uganda, what does democracy mean to you? Would you put your life on the line like Museveni did many years ago to bring about democracy in Uganda today? END. If is Monday, it’s Uganda Correspondent. Never miss out again!
