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Secretary-General Sees Free Press an Essential Feature of Democracy

Free press discharges the vital work of informing and educating the voting public without fear, harassment or censorship, said Mr. Ban Ki-moon in his address to the 7th Forum on Democracy, Development and Trade, held in Doha on 23 and 24 April. Mr. Ban Ki-moon spoke in the opening ceremony which included interventions by the His Highness the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, President Halonen of Finland, Mr. Jack Straw, MP, Leader of the House of Commons, United Kingdom, and Mr. Frederick de Klerk, former President of South Africa. The Secretary-General was accompanied to the meeting by Mr. Amir A. Dossal, Executive Director of the UN Fund for International Partnerships and member of the UN Democracy Fund's Advisory Board.

Mr. Ban praised Qatar for having chaired the New and Restored Democracies' Movement since October 2006, been a major contributor to the UN Democracy Fund, robustly supported freedom of the press and opened new avenues for political participation in the country. "The three topics that are our focus here today - democracy, development, and free trade - are closely related, said the secretary-General. I learned this as a South Korean. Democracy has been at the core of the country’s ability to sustain progress." In addition to freedom of press, Mr. Ban Ki-moon identified another essential feature of democracy: "the separation of the powers, in which not all power is invested in a single institution or person. In order to function, a democratic government must engage in consultation. The process of holding elections widens and institutionalizes this consultation. It sends a message that men and women are not only political subjects but political actors and decision-makers."

Speaking about the UN's contribution to democratization processes, the Secretary-General highlighted a "related milestone in UN support for democracy [that] was reached less than two months ago when we received the 100th request for UN electoral assistance. Over the past 15 years, the United Nations has become the world’s largest provider of democracy assistance. We have become experts in helping countries emerging from conflicts to build democratic institutions such as parliaments and electoral commissions. And we support efforts to strengthen judicial systems, local authorities and civil society. UN support includes the Democracy Fund. Launched in 2005, the Fund works to strengthen the democratic fabric through alliances with Government, civil society and other partners. The first round of funding supported projects in 110 countries, with a majority focusing on women’s rights since democracy is not possible without women’s full and equal participation. Qatar has set an admirable example with its contributions to the Fund, and I hope other States will follow suit."

The Secretary-General underscored that "In undertaking these activities the United Nations is, of course, always respectful of domestic political and social dynamics, and provides assistance only when requested by the Government. We are also acutely aware of other sensitivities, including the suspicion that calls for democratic reform are simply a disguise for interference by one state in the affairs of another. As stated in the 2005 World Summit Outcome, that “there is no single model of democracy” and that democracy “does not belong to any single country or region”. The basic principles of democracy – equality, transparency, accountability, freedom of thought and expression – are universal. But the modalities will always vary from one country to another." Mr. Ban Ki-moon ended his speech recalling that "The private sector and civil society are also very important parts of the picture. The Global Compact corporate citizenship initiative works with business, labour groups and others to ensure respect for human rights, safe workplace conditions and environmental protection, and to fight corruption. The UN Office for Partnerships, for its part, offers another major gateway for engaging with business and others in supporting efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals."

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