* The world is facing new challenges posed by contemporary authoritarian leaders - Gdansk declaration * We must provide moral support to all comrades in struggle from Ukraine to Uganda - Signatories
A number of both current and former African political leaders including, Dr. Ian Khama recently participated in a privately organised conference in Poland focusing on how the world is increasing assaults on democracy.
Dubbed, ‘Rolling Back Authoritarianism’, the conference, organised by the European Solidarity Centre and the Brenthurst Foundation, was held in Gdansk - the epicentre of political change in Poland and in Europe in the late 1980s from the 21-23 June 2023.
A total of 52 attendees and signatories signed the Gdansk Declaration of June 2023. In their view, “This Declaration offers a collegial and institutional step in that direction’’.
In an interview with Botswana Guardian, Chief Executive Officer of Khama Foundation, Mogomotsi Kaboeamodimo confirmed that indeed Khama attended the conference in Poland, but he did not present the contents of the dossier that he recently published.
The signatories say nine out of 10 Africans live under versions of authoritarianism. They believe the struggle for democracy must involve all those outside government, in civil society including the media, academia, trade unions, churches and business.
It may also involve in government, given differences between ‘enlightened’ and ‘repressive’ authoritarians. Further, that these struggles are not nationally determined and bound.
Defending democracy requires common purpose of solidarity among democrats inside and outside all countries. Just as authoritarians have created their own financial, military and media networks that support each other, democrats have to do the same.
Neither are these struggles confined only to Africa. Democrats everywhere are under stress in maintaining these values and corresponding systems.
They state that governments have played a role in dividing opposition parties and continuing to rule. In so doing they follow a playbook of election malfeasance, including tampering of voters’ rolls and other forms of vote rigging, bribery, manipulation of the media, corruption and intimidation.
A strong bloc of opposition groups – within countries and outside – is the best antidote to this, in building their own ecosystems for change and looking out for each other.
“We recognise that freedom is not free”. Democrats everywhere need to be united, and work together to reduce the costs and risks of this formidable if achievable task. “We must provide moral support to all comrades in struggle, from Ukraine to Uganda”.
It is not clear what criteria was used to come up with the list of the attendees or invited guests. The Brenthurst Foundation is chaired by the former Nigerian president Olesegun Obasanjo.
Both Obasanjo and Khama have a lot in common, including serving in the presidency and holding ranks of military of their respective countries. The list of the signatories is composed of prominent people across the globe.
Besides Obasanjo and Khama, other former heads of state and government leaders who attended are Lech Wałęsa of Poland, Moeketsi Majoro of Lesotho, Raila Odinga of Kenya and former Prime Minister of Ukraine, Yulia Tymoshenko.
The Declaration cover note indicates that this event took place as the world faced new challenges posed by contemporary authoritarian leaders and political systems and increasing assaults on democracy.
The delegates were cognisant of the significance of meeting in a country adjacent to Ukraine which is the subject of an aggressive assault on democracy and sovereignty, which is unacceptable to all freedom loving peoples.
"We recognise that democracy in Africa is already under growing threat, including dramatic reversals this century in the Sahel and in North Africa.
“While these struggles may be characterised as popular, authoritarianism is today less about promoting ideology than defending elite privilege and power.
“Some African countries have never enjoyed a peaceful transfer of power at the polls. The weakness of institutions makes African countries particularly vulnerable to external undermining of democracy and to the risks of state capture," the Declaration Cover noted. It further stated that the problem in Africa is not that there is too much democracy, as is sometimes claimed, but not enough.
"We accept that there is disillusionment with democracy. This is going to make it difficult to achieve majority governments, and stresses the need for coalitions for democracy on the one hand, and the development of policies that address the concerns of the electorate.
“Being generally pro-liberty and pro-democracy is not enough always to convince the electorate of the need for sacrifice to defend these values. We need to promote values at home and abroad.
“We need not only to learn from the past, but examine our present in strategising for the future.
We note that those parties which win power at the polls need to act quickly with this mandate." The contemporary 21 Gdansk Declaration points describe how opposition and civil society can roll back authoritarianism and promote democracy in undertaking to: Firstly support democratic struggles materially and morally, making the fight for democracy easier and safer.
Accentuate common interests between opposition groups and seek to find common ground over differences, Commit to shared values and principles, before and after taking power, including transparency, accountability, and key policy precepts such as the protection of private property, and reform of the education and health systems. Act to continuously uphold freedom of speech and association, and basic human rights, among other things.
Dubbed, ‘Rolling Back Authoritarianism’, the conference, organised by the European Solidarity Centre and the Brenthurst Foundation, was held in Gdansk - the epicentre of political change in Poland and in Europe in the late 1980s from the 21-23 June 2023.
A total of 52 attendees and signatories signed the Gdansk Declaration of June 2023. In their view, “This Declaration offers a collegial and institutional step in that direction’’.
In an interview with Botswana Guardian, Chief Executive Officer of Khama Foundation, Mogomotsi Kaboeamodimo confirmed that indeed Khama attended the conference in Poland, but he did not present the contents of the dossier that he recently published.
The signatories say nine out of 10 Africans live under versions of authoritarianism. They believe the struggle for democracy must involve all those outside government, in civil society including the media, academia, trade unions, churches and business.
It may also involve in government, given differences between ‘enlightened’ and ‘repressive’ authoritarians. Further, that these struggles are not nationally determined and bound.
Defending democracy requires common purpose of solidarity among democrats inside and outside all countries. Just as authoritarians have created their own financial, military and media networks that support each other, democrats have to do the same.
Neither are these struggles confined only to Africa. Democrats everywhere are under stress in maintaining these values and corresponding systems.
They state that governments have played a role in dividing opposition parties and continuing to rule. In so doing they follow a playbook of election malfeasance, including tampering of voters’ rolls and other forms of vote rigging, bribery, manipulation of the media, corruption and intimidation.
A strong bloc of opposition groups – within countries and outside – is the best antidote to this, in building their own ecosystems for change and looking out for each other.
“We recognise that freedom is not free”. Democrats everywhere need to be united, and work together to reduce the costs and risks of this formidable if achievable task. “We must provide moral support to all comrades in struggle, from Ukraine to Uganda”.
It is not clear what criteria was used to come up with the list of the attendees or invited guests. The Brenthurst Foundation is chaired by the former Nigerian president Olesegun Obasanjo.
Both Obasanjo and Khama have a lot in common, including serving in the presidency and holding ranks of military of their respective countries. The list of the signatories is composed of prominent people across the globe.
Besides Obasanjo and Khama, other former heads of state and government leaders who attended are Lech Wałęsa of Poland, Moeketsi Majoro of Lesotho, Raila Odinga of Kenya and former Prime Minister of Ukraine, Yulia Tymoshenko.
The Declaration cover note indicates that this event took place as the world faced new challenges posed by contemporary authoritarian leaders and political systems and increasing assaults on democracy.
The delegates were cognisant of the significance of meeting in a country adjacent to Ukraine which is the subject of an aggressive assault on democracy and sovereignty, which is unacceptable to all freedom loving peoples.
"We recognise that democracy in Africa is already under growing threat, including dramatic reversals this century in the Sahel and in North Africa.
“While these struggles may be characterised as popular, authoritarianism is today less about promoting ideology than defending elite privilege and power.
“Some African countries have never enjoyed a peaceful transfer of power at the polls. The weakness of institutions makes African countries particularly vulnerable to external undermining of democracy and to the risks of state capture," the Declaration Cover noted. It further stated that the problem in Africa is not that there is too much democracy, as is sometimes claimed, but not enough.
"We accept that there is disillusionment with democracy. This is going to make it difficult to achieve majority governments, and stresses the need for coalitions for democracy on the one hand, and the development of policies that address the concerns of the electorate.
“Being generally pro-liberty and pro-democracy is not enough always to convince the electorate of the need for sacrifice to defend these values. We need to promote values at home and abroad.
“We need not only to learn from the past, but examine our present in strategising for the future.
We note that those parties which win power at the polls need to act quickly with this mandate." The contemporary 21 Gdansk Declaration points describe how opposition and civil society can roll back authoritarianism and promote democracy in undertaking to: Firstly support democratic struggles materially and morally, making the fight for democracy easier and safer.
Accentuate common interests between opposition groups and seek to find common ground over differences, Commit to shared values and principles, before and after taking power, including transparency, accountability, and key policy precepts such as the protection of private property, and reform of the education and health systems. Act to continuously uphold freedom of speech and association, and basic human rights, among other things.
