Minister of Foreign Affairs and Dean of the Cabinet Dee-Maxwell Kemayah represented Liberia at the Summit for Democracy hosted by Zambia and organized by the United States government
IPNEWS-Monrovia: A collective Declaration of the Summit for Democracy Communique posted on the US States Department website following the Summit in Lusaka, Zambia, has listed the number of countries that endorsed every part and parcel of the Communique signed to enhance democracy in their respective countries. The Communique also listed those countries that also endorsed but with reservations or disassociation from the text of some of the paragraphs of the Declaration. The 2023 Summit for Democracy was held in Lusaka, Zambia from March 28-29, 2023.
There were about 76 countries from around the world that assembled in Lusaka, Zambia to attend the Summit for Democracy, organized under the auspices of the United States government. There were also eight African countries at the Summit, including host Zambia, Botswana, Malawi, Liberia, Mauritania, Mauritius, Niger and Senegal. Of the eight African countries at the Summit, three, including Zambia, Malawi and Mauritania endorsed the Communique with reservations or dissociation from the some text of Count- Eight which talks about ‘Sexual Orientation’ and other rights-related issues.
Those African countries that agreed and endorsed all 17 Counts of the Summit for Democracy Communique, include Liberia, Senegal, Niger, Mauritius and Botswana.
Summit Background
Since day-one of their ascendency to the highest offices in the United States – Presidency and Vice Presidency, the Biden-Harris Administration has made it clear that renewing democracy in the United States and around the world is essential to meeting the unprecedented challenges of today’s world.
On December 9-10, 2021, President Biden held the first of two Summits for Democracy, which brought together leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector in their shared effort to set forth an affirmative agenda for democratic renewal and to tackle the greatest threats faced by democracies today through collective action.
The December 2021 Summit kicked off a “Year of Action” by participants to make democracies more responsive and resilient, and to build a broader community of partners committed to global democratic renewal. The United States and our partners are actively engaged in implementing over 750 commitments made at the first Summit.
Zambia Summit
Fast forward to 2023, President Biden co-hosted the second Summit for Democracy with the governments of Costa Rica, the Netherlands, Republic of Korea, and Republic of Zambia, which was held in March 2023. The second Summit assembled world leaders in a virtual, plenary format, followed by gatherings in each of the countries with representatives from government, civil society, and the private sector. Together, they showcased progress made by Summit partners on commitments during the Year of Action, and organized collective action to address emerging challenges to democracy.
“Democracy and human rights are under threat around the world. Democracies — whether in transition or established for decades — are confronting serious challenges from within and outside of their borders. Public distrust and the failure of governments to deliver equitable and sustainable economic and political progress has fueled political polarization and the rise of leaders who are undermining democratic norms and institutions.
Across the globe, weak state capacity, tenuous rule of law, high inequality, and corruption continue to erode democracy. At the same time, authoritarian leaders are reaching across borders to undermine democracies — from targeting journalists and human rights defenders to meddling in elections — all while sowing disinformation to claim their model is better at delivering for people. Hostile actors exacerbate these trends by increasingly manipulating digital information and spreading disinformation to weaken democratic cohesion.”
As President Biden has said, the countries have to prove democracy still works and can improve people’s lives in tangible ways. To do that, democracies have to come together — to rejuvenate and improve their open, rights-respecting societies from within; to stand together in defending against threats from autocracies; and to show they can address the most pressing crises of their time. The Summit provided an opportunity to reflect, listen, and learn, as well as to plan and act, so that they can build a shared foundation for global democratic renewal.
And so Liberia was represented to the Zambia Summit for Democracy by Foreign Minister Dee-Maxwell Kemayah, who is said to have signed the Communique on behalf of the Liberian government and its people. IPNEWS reliably gathered that each country’s delegation was given the draft Communique for review overnight and if necessary, outline their comments or reservations of any part of the draft Communique a country did not agree with. But as shown in the final Communique posted on US State Department website, Liberia and other countries agreed with every count of the Communique, including the text in paragraph 8 (count-eight) which is talking about “promotion and respect for human rights and equality for all individuals among others ‘sexual orientation,” the very count the likes of Zambia, Malawi and Mauritania rejected due to their respective cultural values and beliefs.
Venue in Lusaka, Zambia where the Summit for Democracy was held where participates arrive as seen in the photo
And so when about 76 countries assembled in Zambia and represented by their respective authorities, for the Summit for Democracy, after days of deliberations they signed onto a Communique which reaffirmed the shared belief that democracy – government reflecting the effective participation and will of the people – is humanity’s most enduring means to advance peace, prosperity, equality, sustainable development, and security.
The 76 countries through their leaders and representatives who assembled in Zambia on March 29 agreed in the Communique that democracy is necessary to ensure that every voice is heard, that the human rights of all are respected, protected, and fulfilled, online and offline, and that the rule of law is upheld. “We recognize that democracy can take many forms, but shares common characteristics, including free and fair elections that are inclusive and accessible; separation of powers; checks and balances; peaceful transitions of power; an independent media and safety of journalists; transparency; access to information; accountability; inclusion; gender equality; civic participation; equal protection of the law; and respect for human rights, including freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, and association. To meet the rising challenges to democracy worldwide, we commit to strengthen democratic institutions and processes and build resilience.”
In the signed Communique, they further stated that they acknowledge that freedom and democracy are strengthened through cooperation, and they have committed to building stronger domestic, regional, and global partnerships that are more assertive in countering authoritarianism and corruption and that demonstrate that democracy delivers peace, stability, and prosperity for all. “We believe democratic institutions, which take time and concerted effort to develop, are best supported by an inclusive society that respects diversity, promotes decent work for all, and enables everyone to freely pursue their aspirations, exercise their human rights and fundamental freedoms, and live without fear of violence and threats to their safety.”
The signed communique added, that globally, the participating countries at the Summit for Democracy held in Lusaka, Zambia, have committed to put the strength of their democracies into action to revitalize, consolidate, and strengthen an international rules-based order that delivers equitable, sustainable development for all people and to deepen international cooperation to accelerate progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. “We acknowledge that eradicating poverty is critical to strengthening inclusivity and building confidence and stability in democracies globally.”
The countries represented at the Summit for Democracy in Zambia also recognized that democracies that respect human rights are the best means by which to solve the 21st Century’s most critical challenges. “We remain united in supporting one another in our efforts to bolster democracy domestically, regionally, and internationally, combat authoritarian trends, advance multilateral and multi-stakeholder dialogue and cooperation, and safeguard the full and effective exercise of human rights, including civil and political rights, as well as the progressive realization of economic, social, and cultural rights. We are determined to save the present and succeeding generations from the scourge of war. To this end we unite the strength of our democracies to secure and maintain domestic, regional and international peace and security.”
The 17-count communique reiterates the countries firm resolve to support countries and people around the world that adhere to the values of freedom and democracy, against direct or indirect attempts or threats to undermine them. They also recognize the fundamental principles of the UN Charter that all states shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state and shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means.
Foreign Minister Dee-Maxwell Kemayah (center with red tie) poses with some heads of civil society organizations from Liberia who were invited to the Summit for Democracy as observers
Zambia Civil Society Lauds Its Gov’t for Denouncing Text in Count #8 of Communique
Barely a day following the signing of the Summit for Democracy Communique in Lusaka, Zambia, a Zambian civil society organization, GPZ through their president, Silavwe Jackson expressed delight to learn that on the collective Declaration of the Summit for Democracy communique posted on the US State Department website, Zambia has DISASSOCIATED itself from the text in paragraph 8 which is talking about “promotion and respect for human rights and equality for all individuals among others ‘sexual orientation”.
According to the Zambian civil society organization, GPZ, “this shows that our collective position against homosexuality is being heard and respected by other Democratic states. In the quest to fine tune democracy, nations must respect the values and principles of each democratic nation. There should be no imposition of any agenda negating the very tenets of democracy. Zambians are against homosexuality/LGBTQ and that must be respected in the league of Democratic Nations. Well done Zambia, Aluta continua.”
Did Liberia Endorse Gay Rights at Summit for Democracy in Zambia?
In Count-Eighth, the 76 countries that assembled in Lusaka on March 29, 2023 agreed “to promote respect for human rights and equality for all individuals and combat all forms of discrimination and exclusion on any grounds, consistent with international human rights law, including multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, including on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity, color, religion or belief, national or social origin, property, birth, indigeneity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, pregnancy, political opinion, class, genetic information, or age, and promote inclusion and the full and equal participation of all individuals in marginalized or vulnerable situations, including internally displaced persons.”
Reports gathered by IPNEWS, following the denunciation by the Zambian government of Count-8 of the Communique, several Liberians home and abroad began to express concern whether their country signed unto the Communique in totality without any exception or dissociation from the troubling Count-8.
“Did Liberia endorse paragraph 8 of the declaration at the Democracy Summit with respect to upholding the rights of LGBTQ+? Most countries including the host country, Zambia, approve the declaration but disassociated themselves from that specific paragraph which Liberia sign up to,” a concerned Liberian asked.
Out of the seven African countries that attended the Democracy Summit in Lusaka, Zambia, the likes of Liberia, Mauritius, Botswana, Senegal and Niger endorsed the troubling Count-Eight of the Communique, while the likes of Zambia, Mauritania* and Malawi* dissociated with certain paragraphs, citing their cultural values and beliefs.
Those countries that disagree to Count-Eight have an asterisk to their names as indicated below. Albania, Iceland, North Macedonia, Argentina, India*, Norway, Armenia*, Iraq*, Palau, Australia, Ireland, Panama, Austria, Israel*, Paraguay*, Belgium, Italy, Peru, Botswana, Japan, Philippines*, Bulgaria*, Kosovo, Poland*, Canada, Latvia , Portugal, Chile, Liberia, Republic of Korea, Colombia, Liechtenstein, Romania, Costa Rica, Lithuania, Senegal, Croatia, Luxembourg, Serbia, Cyprus , Malawi*, Slovakia, Czechia, Malta, Slovenia, Denmark, Marshall Islands, Spain, Dominican Republic*, Mauritania*, Sweden, Ecuador, Mauritius, Switzerland, Estonia, Mexico*, Taiwan, Finland, Micronesia, Ukraine, France, Moldova, United Kingdom, Georgia, Montenegro, United States of America, Germany, Netherlands, Uruguay, Greece, New Zealand, Zambia*, Honduras, Niger.
* Denotes endorsement with reservations or disassociation from the text of the following paragraphs of the Declaration
Preambular Paragraph 1: Poland; Preambular Paragraph 3: Armenia, India, Mexico; Operative Paragraph 4: India, Israel, Philippines; Operative Paragraph 8: Bulgaria, Dominican Republic, Iraq, Mauritania, Paraguay, Poland, Zambia; Operative Paragraph 9: Dominican Republic, Paraguay, Poland; Operative Paragraph 13: India; and Operative Paragraph 17: Malawi.
In the case of Liberia, the country agreed to every aspect of the Communique, including the rights to gay rights and LGBTQ which falls within the scope of the umbrella word ‘sexual orientation’.
The Summit of Democracy
The two-day second Summit for Democracy was organized by the US and co-hosted by Zambia along with South Korea, Costa Rica and Netherlands.
President Joe Biden on Wednesday, March 28, 2023 urged unity among democracies in the face of Russia and China as he committed nearly $700 million to halt global democratic backsliding and forged an alliance against surveillance technology.
Biden invited 121 leaders for his second, largely virtual “Summit for Democracy,” including the prime ministers of close US partners Israel and India who both defended their records after charges of creeping authoritarianism.
Local delegates participated in the mostly virtual event in the country’s capital Lusaka and weighed in on the importance of the event. “The US is the oldest democracy that we have. So which means that we can also learn not only from the good side but also for the challenges that they are having. So I just think that it’s a good reference you know. We are not looking for the perfect system but we are looking for a system where we can definitely learn” said Hermenegildo Mulhovo, attendee from Mozambique.
“For me the way I look at the US, the US is always an ally for Africa. It depends on how your government actually relates with the US. So for economic purposes and growth, I think that if our democracy is strengthened more, we may have the benefits of these other countries coming to support us” said Mubita Mwangala, lecturer at the University of Zambia.
First conceived by Biden as a way to restore US credibility after Donald Trump’s norm-shattering presidency and the attack on the US Capitol, the Summit for Democracy has taken a new urgency as Ukraine fights back a Russian invasion and as China goes on a diplomatic offensive.
The summit will work on “holding Russia accountable for its unjust and unprovoked war against Ukraine, showing that democracies are strong and resolved,” Biden said in brief opening remarks.
After criticism that the first summit was too US-focused, Biden tapped leaders on each continent — from South Korea, Zambia, Costa Rica and The Netherlands — as co-hosts.
“We must embark on a new journey to revive democracy, which is currently under attack,” said South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who announced his country would spearhead the third Summit of Democracies.
Biden, who addressed the two-day summit more formally on Wednesday, announced $690 million to promote democracy overseas, a US official said.
The US funding will back programs to stage free elections, advance independent media and strengthen action against corruption and follows a commitment of $424 million offered at the first summit.
The Biden administration will also announce a joint effort with around 10 partners to counter the misuse and proliferation of spyware — which the United States fears has become a growing tool of China as its technological clout increases.
The effort comes two days after Biden banned the US government from using commercial spyware programs and as Biden’s Republican rivals lead a controversial push in Congress to ban TikTok, the popular Chinese-owned video-sharing app.
