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Ministerial Panel I: Cooperation in International and Regional Organizations to Strengthen Democratic Institutions Toward a Community of Democracies Ministerial Conference, Warsaw, Poland, June 25-27, 2000 U.S. Department of State, June 15, 2000 |
Warsaw Ministerial Agenda"Ways in which democracies can work together to make international institutions more effective and transparent, and to ensure that their activities advance the rule of law envisioned in the UN Charter and the freedoms set out in the Declaration of Human Rights."
Warsaw Declaration of Democratic Principles Background
Global, regional, and specialized institutions are essential components of an international system designed to achieve progress toward common goals and aspirations. Some of these multilateral organizations have as one of their fundamental purposes the advancement of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. Others may be interested in developing a greater emphasis on strengthening respect for democratic principles and practices; and on promoting increased transparency and accountability. As democratization advances and the flow and speed of information exchange increases, such transparency will help make multilateral organizations more credible in the public's eye. Over the last few years, the Members of the United Nations have authorized the organization to develop a range of democracy-related programs and activities. Among the activities cited by the UN Secretary General in a 1998 report on how the UN system supports democratization and governance were mobilizing civil society, observing and monitoring human rights; encouraging free and independent media; enhancing the rule of law; and improving accountability and transparency of democratic governments. At the 1999 General Assembly, governments passed a resolution requesting the UN to strengthen its role in enhancing the effectiveness of the principle of periodic and genuine elections and the promotion of democratization. Demand for UN electoral assistance remains high and activities have focused increasingly on long-term national capacity-building of electoral institutions and processes. Since 1997, UN electoral bodies have conducted projects in 44 countries in every region of the world. The UN system has also provided support to efforts to promote and consolidate new or restored democracies. The UN General Assembly has expressly endorsed the International Conferences of New or Restored Democracies initiated in 1988 in the Philippines and continued in Nicaragua in 1994 and Bucharest in 1997. The Government of Benin, with the assistance of UN Development Program, (UNDP), will host the next conference in December, 2000. There is growing recognition in United Nations General Assembly UNGA resolutions (UNGA) that democracy, development, and respect for human rights are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. For example, a 1999 UNGA resolution (A/RES/54/173) requests UNDP "to continue its commendable programs of assistance for governance . . . in particular those for strengthening democratic institutions and participation." This resolution followed a similar one adopted at the UN Commission on Human Rights in April 1999 on "Promotion of the Right to Democracy," which recognized the principle that democracy fosters the full realization of all human rights and vice versa. A follow-up Romanian resolution on Promoting and Consolidating Democracy, which garnered 61 co-sponsors when it was adopted in April, 2000, sets forth a comprehensive definition of democracy and calls on Member States to adopt measures to strengthen democratic practices. Regional organizations have developed their own models for promoting democracy. The Organization of American States (OAS) established a Unit for the Promotion of Democracy in 1990, with the mission of responding promptly to members who request advice or assistance to sustain and strengthen democratic institutions. Its activities include election observation and administration reform; conflict resolution and peace-building missions; training of experts, political actors, and youth leaders in democratic values and practices; developing a data base of best practices of democratic governance; and facilitating dialogue among various political sectors on national and regional levels. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has created an Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights to facilitate implementation of commitments made by participating governments relating to democracy and the human dimension. Its activities have included election monitoring, support for free media, information exchange on special subjects such as tolerance and national minorities, and assistance to new members in democratic institution-building. One of the objectives of the Council of Europe is the promotion of pluralist democracy, respect for human rights, and the rule of law on the European continent. Both the Council of Europe and the European Union (EU) have cooperation and assistance programs in these fields, some of which are joint programs aimed at strengthening the new democracies in Europe. The EU, for example, supports processes of democratic transition, assisting in the organization and observation of elections and institutional and juridical reforms. There is also a growing trend toward using institutional links and preferential arrangements arising from regional integration schemes as a tool for deterring disruptions of democratic regimes. For example, the Common Market of the Southern Cone (MERCOSUR), a customs union which conditions membership on democratic criteria, has taken actions to help protect democracy in Paraguay. Members of the European Union and the African-Caribbean-Pacific group have declared human rights, democratic principles, and the rule of law "essential elements" of the Lome Treaty governing tariff preferences. In February, 2000, they negotiated a new procedure for taking immediate measures in cases of special urgency involving serious violations of human rights, democratic principles, and the rule of law. A number of international and regional bodies are taking steps to become more transparent by opening their doors to input from civil society and making results open to the press and public. The Organization of American States, for example, has opened its proceedings on a Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to hear input from indigenous groups. The UN's Economic and Social Council has developed procedures for accrediting non-governmental organizations, and has granted status to approximately 1,800 groups. MERCOSUR has established a consultative forum with civil society to obtain input on economic and social issues. An increasing number of regional organizations have explicitly or implicitly applied democracy-related criteria to determine the membership status of some states. For example, the Organization of African Unity (OAU) at its 1999 Algiers Summit, adopted a resolution barring attendance at the 2000 OAU summit by members whose governments have been deposed since the Harare Summit and who have not held credible elections. Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) have considered democracy-related criteria in their approaches toward particular states. Issues for Discussion Governments which share a common goal of fortifying democratic practices and human rights as part of their foreign policies could become more active partners to advance democracy-related goals in existing international institutions. The following list of topics is designed to stimulate further discussion in Warsaw with the aim of building consensus among like-minded democracies to increase their cooperation on such issues. 1) A democracy caucus at the UN and other international bodies could serve as a means to forge common positions on democracy-related resolutions and activities. Ad hoc coalitions have begun to coalesce around some of the democracy-related resolutions at the UN discussed above. At this fall's UN General Assembly, such a caucus could serve as an impetus for adoption of the Romanian-drafted resolution on Promoting and Consolidating Democracy adopted at the UNCHR in April. 2) More attention could be focused within financial, economic, and trade institutions on the advantages of granting international financial assistance, debt relief, and bilateral trade benefits to democratic governments which uphold good governance, rule of law, transparency, and accountability. Building on a recent World Bank study supporting the link between good governance and economic performance, relevant international institutions could be encouraged to develop guidelines to reflect the importance the international community attaches to these elements of democracy for achieving economic and social development. 3) Mechanisms could be established in international and regional organizations to expand consultations with the public, the press, representatives of civil society, parliaments, and other interested parties. Regular exchange of views and information and increased public input into decisions reached by international institutions might foster greater public understanding and credibility. Measures could include greater transparency of budgets, greater openness of internal decision-making processes (e.g. publication of policies, meetings, decisions), and greater access by the media. 4) Mechanisms could be established within international and regional organizations to build capabilities for effective, rapid responses to requests for democracy-related assistance by member governments, especially in situations of internal confrontation or incipient violence. Such capabilities could include short-term missions to facilitate support of democratic institutions (e.g., through special emissaries, good offices, monitors, mediators, or technical-juridical advisors.) The Organization of American States (OAS) recently approved establishment of a special fund for this purpose. 5) Where appropriate, "democracy clauses" in charter documents for certain political, regional and sub-regional organizations can be important tools for promoting democracy by requiring members to take steps in case democracy is overthrown in a member state. Such clauses can serve both as a deterrent to undemocratic action (e.g. OAS Resolution 1080, MERCOSUR Ushuaia Protocol, OAU Decision Dec. 12), and as an incentive to membership in regional and sub-regional organizations (e.g. Partnership for Peace/NATO accession). 6) Democracy-promotion activities at the UN and other relevant international and regional bodies could be established, strengthened ,and expanded, with the aim of developing expertise, advisory services, data bases of best practices, electoral assistance services, educational materials and seminars, and other means of strengthening democratic institutions. Note: This paper is for informal discussion and does not represent the formal views of any government. [end of document]
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