The 117th IPU Assembly in Geneva provided the perfect opportunity to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Democracy, adopted by the Inter-Parliamentary Council in September 1997 in Cairo, Egypt. Three Speakers of Parliament, namely Ms. Baleka Mbete (South Africa), Ms. Nino Burdjanadze (Georgia), and Mr. Ahmed Fathy Sorour (Egypt), were invited to give their views on this unique instrument, which constitutes a roadmap for IPU Member Parliaments.

Peace and democracy should not exist in isolation

Commemorating the Tenth Anniversary of the IPU Declaration on Democracy during the 117th IPU Assembly, IPU President Pier Ferdinando Casini recalled that the Declaration had been the fruit of the concerted efforts of experts and parliamentarians representing a crosssection of religions, cultures and civilizations.

Parliaments in emerging democracies have taken on a more prominent role in efforts to strengthen democracy, and none of the principles enshrined in the Declaration has lost its pertinence. Peace and democracy are mutually reinforcing and cannot, should not, exist in isolation, underlined President Casini.

President Casini added that efforts are required to promote democracy and bring an end to conflict. "Freedom is the cornerstone of democracy, and true democracy is incompatible with poverty. The existence of widespread poverty continues to undermine democracy, and efforts must therefore be made to ensure that people are free to improve their well-being", declared the IPU President.

There must not be any double standards in respect of freedom and the IPU must engage in safeguarding freedom for all people at all times, without any ambiguity, "which did not mean seeking to impose or export a particular model of democracy", said Mr. Casini. The rights of citizens must be accompanied by the duty to demonstrate mutual respect. True freedom and democracy could not exist if one only considered one's own rights.

"Parliaments should be a clear example of transparency in their processes and procedures. They should be open to society, and ready to give account for their performance. The IPU should continue to assist parliaments to become strong, independent and effective institutions", concluded President Casini. In the view of IPU Secretary General, Mr. Anders. B. Johnsson, as much as 55 per cent of IPU's 2008 budget is devoted to democracy-related activities. The IPU is conducting a wide range of activities to strengthen parliamentary institutions and help develop democratic standards for parliaments. The 2006 study Parliaments and democracy in the Twenty-first Century, was a case in point. It identified good practices in parliaments for them to work as democratic institutions.

The Universal Declaration identified a close link between human rights and democracy, and the IPU's democracy activities therefore had a strong human rights component, as well as a marked emphasis on promoting women's participation in political life. The IPU democracy programme was a political programme, which sought to enhance the role of parliamentarians in strengthening democracy. The IPU therefore played significant role in assisting new and developing democracies.

Speaker Balaka Mbete of South Africa:

"Parliaments must assess progress made in implementing the Universal Declaration on Democracy"

"Many leaders around the world are struggling to find a lasting solution to contradictions in societies, which come in many forms. The greatest challenge is to redress social and economic imbalances in society, particularly in the developing world", said Ms. Baleka Mbete, Speaker of the National Assembly of South Africa. She added that on celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Democracy, parliaments must assess the progress that had been made in implementing it.

Ms. Mbete emphasized the need for free and fair elections to be held at regular intervals, in order for the free will of the people to be expressed. "Elections must be held on the basis of universal, equal and secret suffrage, in order for all voters to choose their representatives in conditions of equality, transparency and openness, which stimulates political competition". Civil and political rights are therefore essential, in particular the rights to vote and to be elected, the right to freedom of association and assembly, to access to information and the right to organize political parties and conduct political activities. Elections themselves are not an end to achieving democracy, but rather one of a number of mechanisms that must be used to ensure freedom in society.

"Democracy can only be achieved if elected parliamentarians use their mandates to implement policies and practices that are in keeping with the principles enshrined in the Declaration. Efforts must be made to empower groups that are vulnerable to marginalization", added Speaker Mbete. "Challenges are mainly faced in societies where the majority of people are struggling to survive on a daily basis. In such situations, public priorities are food, health and shelter: when a person is hungry, no amount of freedom of speech could meet his or her basic needs", she said in conclusion.

The principle of democracy must be applied to the international management of issues of global interest and the common heritage of humankind. "The creation of a peaceful world, in which humanity shares resources and in which different cultures co-exist and are celebrated is the collective responsibility of leaders of democracies, and is critical for the growth of future democracies around the world", insisted Ms. Mbete.

Speaker Nino Burdjanadze of Georgia:

"Roadmap for the IPU Member Parliaments"

"The Universal Declaration on Democracy is a unique instrument, which declares the common aspirations of the international parliamentary community. It constitutes a roadmap for IPU Member Parliaments as they work towards strengthening democracy throughout the world", said Ms. Nino Burjanadze, Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, who is also President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC).

Democracy should be promoted at the national and international levels, explained Ms. Burdjanadze, who played a prominent role in her country when the "Rose Revolution" took place in 2003. "Georgia is a new democracy, which gave priority to devising and sustaining democratic reforms. The revolution that took place in 2003 had been the result of fraudulent elections, when the people understood that the government did not respect their will. They fought for freedom of expression, free and fair elections and democracy. Like democracy, revolutions and reforms cannot be imported or exported. In Georgia, the people wanted to live in a free, fair and democratic country".

Ms. Burdjanadze went on to say that although all countries' traditions and cultures should be respected, those countries that wished to be included in a civilized world must respect the minimum standards that ensured true democracy. "Old democracies should not force other countries to become democratic, but should be willing to help those that wished to develop their democratic standards". Exchanges of experience and best practices were particularly important for building democracy. All people should be given the opportunity to live in a democratic society.

In the view of the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, democratic development through institutions and reforms requires respect for the rule of law and an independent judiciary. "The IPU has a special mandate to identify the challenges faced by the world's parliaments, and to help overcome them by working together. In the contemporary world, cooperation, joint efforts and constructive teamwork continue to gain new understanding. Alongside international organizations, parliaments are vital for fostering dialogue, mutual understanding and friendly relations between nations", said Speaker Burdjanadze.

Speaker Ahmed Fathy Sorour of Egypt:

"It is incorrect to say that democracy is a western concept"

Ten years have passed since the Universal Declaration on Democracy was adopted and according to Mr. Ahmed Fathy Sorour, Speaker of the People's Assembly of Egypt, "the real benefit of such an event is that it provided an opportunity to assess everything that has been achieved, and to consider what remains to be done". The tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration is an opportune moment to consider what the Declaration has achieved, where parliaments stand on the road to democracy, what are the obstacles to democracy, and how the IPU could eliminate those obstacles. "It is incorrect to say that democracy is a western concept", he added.

According to Mr. Sorour, the international community is at a crossroads on the road to democracy, since democracy is under threat as a result of numerous regional conflicts and the failure of the international social system, such as the "undemocratic allocation of the right to veto at the United Nations Security Council". Parliamentary institutions must be strengthened, and people must be allowed to enjoy their rights and freedoms. Efforts must be made to combat poverty. "Western nations must understand that democracy models cannot be exported and imposed on others by force", said Speaker Sorour.

Many countries believe that democracy is limited only to their own society. The Universal Declaration recognizes democracy as an international principle, which can be implemented by the international community and international organizations. "Democratic systems and regimes must leave aside undemocratic approaches towards other States, and double standards must not be employed", stressed Speaker Sorour.

IMPLEMENTING DEMOCRACY

"In Iraq, the biggest challenge is the lack of trust"

Mr. Muhamad Abubakr Ahmad is the Director-General of Media at the Council of Representatives of Iraq. He was in Switzerland in early October to visit the Swiss Federal Parliament in Bern and the House of Parliaments in Geneva.

Q: How would you describe the activity of the Iraqi Parliament today?
Muhamad Abubakr Ahmad: Iraq was under the dictatorial rule of Saddam Hussein for many years. One person was deciding and the parliament was doing nothing. Everybody was under pressure, including MPs, staffers and the Secretary General. They were somehow portraits in a frozen picture, not involved in reality. Today, you cannot expect a great improvement in the situation given that people had been working in such an environment. After 2003, after the regime was toppled - despite a deteriorated security situation, political rivalries and the intervention of regional and international forces in Iraq - I can say that we have built a very sound parliamentary culture in our country. The experience of the staffers improves daily and the Iraqi Parliament is an active and vital parliament in the region. When bills are submitted to the plenary session, there is real and active discussion. From one point of view that might be considered negative, but from a democracy or a parliamentary point of view, it is positive. Things are improving compared to when we started. In July 2004, there were seven staffers and three of them were borrowed from the Council of Ministers! So in fact, there were only four permanent staffers at the parliament. We worked day and night. We worked as if we were working for our families, for ourselves. Now there are more than 400 staffers.

Q: What are the main problems that you are facing?
M.A.A.: I can't say that everything is going well at the Iraqi Parliament. There are some problems, such as bureaucracy. According to the law, the decisions incumbent to the parliament should be taken by the Presidential Council, which is composed of the Speaker and his two deputies. One of the administrative principles here is to authorize people, to a certain extent, to take their own initiative to do something without having to go back to the boss and ask permission to do everything. Hopefully, we will improve the rules in the future. At least we are aware of our mistakes and we have started to work on them. We are working hard and there is a genuine willingness to overcome the problems.

Q: Is this the kind of assistance that the IPU could provide to the Iraqi Parliament?
M.A.A.: Yes, but if the IPU wants to play this role, field visits are needed. You must remember that there was chaos in our country. Everybody could do everything. Later on we realized that there were no terms of references for the offices. Terms of reference are your present and future plans. If you don't have a vision for the future and you carry on with your work on a daily basis, you have no clear idea about your future. I was the first one to frame terms of references for officials, because as you know, within the offices there are sections and departments. We specified the terms of reference and the tasks for each section and the next step will be to define terms of reference for each person.

Q: What form do the proceedings of the Iraqi Parliament take?
M.A.A.: Press conferences are held. We used to do a live broadcast of the sessions but today the sessions are broadcast with a half-an-hour delay. Accreditations are issued to journalists. There are 200 journalists who come to the conference centre of the Iraqi Parliament everyday. They work for Arabic, Persian and western media, especially media houses from the United States. Since May 2006, we have wanted to build a press centre for them, but unfortunately, the project has not been implemented. My plan is to create a studio so that various media can work there. The security question is very delicate and taking MPs outside the parliament building may be a risk. At night, there is a curfew of sorts in Baghdad, and it is not easy for people to move around from one area to another. That is why the interviews should be done during the day, but during the day legislators are busy as parliament is in session or they are attending committee meetings. This is why MPs must be interviewed at the parliament building.

Q: What is the main challenge for the Iraqi people today?
M.A.A.: The biggest challenge is the lack of trust. I see that the politicians want to work on this problem. Sometimes they respond to [the interests of] other countries in the region, rather than to the interests of their constituencies, sects, or religions. Sometimes they respond to their own personal and political agenda in order to stay in power longer. In my personal view, the solution for Iraq is neither religious nor national nor sectarian. The only solution for Iraq is democracy, which is in favour of the people. Diversity is one of the strongest points of any society, but it should be invested in the right way, otherwise it will turn out to be a negative point. That is what is going on in Iraq.