International IDEA Secretary-General Vidar Helgesen. © Fernando Cuellar
From 2-11 October 2007, International IDEA’s Secretary-General Vidar Helgesen made official visits to Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico aimed at strengthening relations with the governments and setting the strategic directions for the Institute’s programming in Latin America.
The trip began in Bolivia with the official opening of International IDEA’s office in La Paz. This visit was timely as Bolivia’s Constituent Assembly has reached an impasse. The coming months in the Assembly are of critical importance. The Assembly began in July 2006 with the hope of solving the difficult and persistent questions of state reform which would give all Bolivians a sense of ownership over the Constitution. Now, more than a year later, the Assembly has not been able to build consensus. In order to promote and support Bolivian democracy, International IDEA and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have initiated dialogues among diverse sectors of society in hopes of reaching full-fledged consensus. During his visit, Secretary-General Helgesen affirmed International IDEA’s commitment to this important process now happening in Bolivia so that the pending Constitution might bring about a united, inclusive, and just social order for all Bolivians.
International IDEA's Secretary-General Vidar Helgesen meets Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe at his office in Bogotá, October 2007. © Fotopresidencia
After his visit to Bolivia, the Secretary-General met with Colombia’s President Alvaro Uribe in Bogotá where they exchanged opinions about the state of democracy in Colombia, the principal challenges for democracy, and International IDEA’s unique role in the process of democratization. Mr Uribe and Mr Helgesen also agreed that important progress has already been made in several aspects: the reduction of political violence, the demobilization of paramilitary groups and the decrease in guerrilla group terrorist activities. Secretary-General Helgesen affirmed International IDEA’s support for the activities that contribute to increased legitimacy and more efficient democratic institutions in Colombia.
On 8 October 2007 Mr Helgesen visited Quito, Ecuador. There he met with Ecuador’s Vice-President Lenin Moreno and during their meeting, Mr Helgesen reaffirmed International IDEA’s support throughout the entire process of constitutional change now underway in Ecuador. Vice-President Moreno welcomed International IDEA’s renewed commitment to the development of democracy in Ecuador and, specifically, to the Constituent Assembly.
Mr Helgesen’s final stop was in Mexico City where he met with President Felipe Calderón, as well as members of political parties, the legislatures, the Federal Electoral Tribunal, the Federal Electoral Institute, academics, the media and civil society who all serve as important actors in the political reform process. In addition to the topic of the current state reforms and the possibility of a project to evaluate Mexican democracy, the Secretary-General and President Calderón discussed Mexico’s preparations for the chairmanship of International IDEA’s Council for the coming period of 2008-09.
Mr Helgesen affirmed with each of the respective leaders of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico International IDEA’s firm commitment to democracy, constitutional processes, and state reform. The Institute’s Latin American offices will seek to play a key role in the coming years for the continuation of positive, democratic changes.
Official opening of International IDEA’s office in La Paz, Bolivia in October 2007. From the left, International IDEA's: Regional Director for Latin America Daniel Zovatto, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General Camino Kavanagh, Senior Programme Officer for the Andean Region Kristen Sample, Secretary-General Vidar Helgesen, Head of Mission (Bolivia) Virginia Beramendi Heine and Senior Advisor (Bolivia) Alfonso Ferrufino. © Fernando Cuellar
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