What should the EU do?

Democracy in Development - global consultations on the EU’s role in democracy building

• Read the report
• Visit IDEA's EU portal

23 October 2009, Stockholm – Today, International IDEA officially hands over its report on Democracy in Development – Global consultations on the EU's role in democracy building to the Swedish EU Presidency during the annual European Development Days in Stockholm.

The report is the result of global/regional consultations with the EU’s partner organizations in Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean and the Arab world, led by International IDEA and sponsored by Sweden, aimed at producing a deeper understanding of how the EU can best assist democracy building efforts worldwide.

The four key messages for EU policy development emerging from International IDEA’s consultations are:

• Tap the EU’s own experience to inform the long term vision, strategy and external action for democracy.
• Apply a broad understanding of democracy; it is not just about elections, it is how political systems support citizen needs.
• Stand by the EU’s long term commitments, especially when the going gets tough.
• Move towards genuine partnership and dialogue with regional partners for the benefit of all.

The handover of the report to Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson will take place at a Round Table organized by International IDEA at the European Development Days. The Round Table brings together high-level representatives of six major regional organizations to discuss issues pertaining to the democracy building agenda which affects all the regions and constitute an issue of common concern. It provides a platform for exchanging experiences on democracy building across the regions, exploring avenues for future cooperation and increased dialogue based on a foundation of genuine partnerships.

Speakers include: Amre M Moussa, Secretary-General, League of Arab States; Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General, ASEAN (Video message); Erastus Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson, African Union Commission; Irene Klinger, Director of International Relations, Organization of American States; Professor Sridhar Khatri, Executive Director of the South Asia Centre for Policy Studies; and Vidar Helgesen, Secretary-General, International IDEA.

To download the report and access International IDEA’s web portal, go to: www.idea.int/eu