News

The UN Democracy Fund organises a Panel on Strategies to Promote Democracy

The United Nations Democracy Fund organises expert meetings to help further refine its policy and the UN’s concept of democracy-building. These meetings explore state of the art thinking and practice on democracy assistance. Meetings are organised in New York and Member States’ capitals in cooperation with/hosted by Member States and address burning issues in democracy promotion. Topics such as Democracy and Human Rights, Regional Strategies for Democracy, Democratic Transitions, Democracy and Development or Democracy and Islam will be analysed in following panels.

The 18 July Expert Panel focused on “Strategies to Promote Democracy” and dwelled into four regions (Africa, the Arab States, Asia and Latin-America) where different approaches have been designed and implemented. It also took stock of lessons learned on democracy assistance by the United Nations. The panel took place at UN Headquarters ahead of the second meeting of the UNDEF Advisory Board.

Speakers included Professor Prof. Dr. Azyumardi Azra, Rector of the State Islamic University-Jakarta, Member of UNDEF Advisory Board, Professor Guillermo O’Donnell, Helen Kellogg Professor of Government and International Studies, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, Member of UNDEF Advisory Board, Professor Michael Doyle, Harold Brown Professor of Law and of International Affairs, Columbia University, Member of UNDEF Advisory Board, Ms. Margaret Vogt, Chair of the Programme Consultative Group of the Democracy Fund and Deputy Director, Africa Division, United Nations Department of Political Affairs and the moderator: Mr. Magdy Martinez-Soliman, Executive Head a.i. United Nations Democracy Fund. The Panel was attended by a large audience of diplomats, UN Staff, Civil Society and media.