Fernando Henrique Cardoso delivers first annual Lipset Lecture on Democracy in the World

NED and the Embassy of Canada inaugurated an important new forum for discourse on democracy and its progress worldwide: the Seymour Martin Lipset Lecture on Democracy in the World. [more...]

The State of Arab Liberalism: Implications for Democracy Promotion in the Middle East

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Barry Rubin, Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA) and Middle East Review of International Affairs and Tamara Cofman Wittes, Brookings Institution. Laith Kubba, National Endowment for Democracy, served as a discussant. Marc F. Plattner, co-director of the International Forum, moderated the event.

Barry Rubin is Director of the Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA) Center and editor of the Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA). His latest book is Hating America: A History, co-authored with Judith Colp Rubin, published by Oxford University Press. Recent books include Yasir Arafat: A Political Biography, Anti-American Terrorism and the Middle East, and The Tragedy of the Middle East.

Tamara Cofman Wittes joined the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution in December 2003 to conduct research on political and economic reform in the Arab world and America's democracy promotion efforts in the Middle East. Her work has been published in Policy Review, Political Science Quarterly, the Weekly Standard, and the Chronicle of Higher Education, among others.

Laith Kubba is senior program officer for the Middle East and North Africa program at the National Endowment for Democracy. Marc F. Plattner is the co-director of the International Forum for Democratic Studies and editor of the Journal of Democracy.

The event was broadcast live on C-SPAN. A transcript is available online.

The Internet as a Tool for Democratization in the Arab Gulf Region

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Mohamed Al-Yahyai and Laith Kubba, senior program officer for Middle East and North Africa, NED. Sally Blair, fellowship manger of the International Forum, moderated the event.

The Internet is often hailed as a new medium for democracy promotion worldwide: ideas and information may, in theory, travel freely online, connecting and empowering democracy activists, journalists, and others to facilitate government reform. The reality of Internet communication, however, is complex, technologically and politically. Authoritarian regimes act to suppress their citizen's access to the Web-by blocking thousands of websites and controlling Internet service in their countries. This is the case in much of the Middle East and Arab Gulf region today. In his presentation, Mr. Al-Yahyai examined the relationship between the Internet and democratization, the legitimacy of recent reforms in the Arab Gulf, and what can be done by NGOs and democracy proponents to accelerate political change in the region. His presentation was followed by comments by Mr. Laith Kubba.

Mr. Mohamed Al-Yahyai is an Omani journalist who has worked to promote press freedom in the Arab Gulf states. He has served as an editor, correspondent, and columnist at a wide range of Arab-language newspapers and magazines, including Al-Bayan (Dubai), Al-Hayat (London), Al-Etihad (Abu Dhabi), and Akhbar al-Adab (Cairo). He is the author of two collections of short stories, Kharzat Al-Mashi (Cairo, 1995) and Youma Nafadat Khazeena al-Ghubar (Beirut, 1998). During his fellowship at the Forum, Mr. Al-Yahyai is studying the role of the Internet in accelerating political reform and informing public attitudes toward democracy in the countries of the Arab Gulf region. Mr. Laith Kubba is senior program officer for the Middle East and North Africa at the National Endowment for Democracy.

Is Democracy Possible in Palestine?

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Fidaa Shehada. Sally Blair, fellowship manger of the International Forum, moderated the event.

According to recent polls, an overwhelming majority of Palestinians would like to see fundamental democratic reforms implemented in their land. Given current realities on the ground, however, how realistic is the prospect of democracy in Palestine? In her presentation, Ms. Shehada examined the history of the Palestinian Authority since 1993 and the Israeli-Palestinian peace process from the Oslo accords to the current deadlock. She discussed Palestinian political culture and parties, and emphasized how the question of democracy in Palestine continues to be shaped as much by external factors as by the experiences and aspirations of the Palestinian people.

Ms. Fidaa Shehada is a capacity building officer in crisis management, democracy, and civic education at the Palestinian Institution for the Dissemination of Democracy and Community Development (Panorama), a Ramallah-based nonprofit organization that seeks to strengthen Palestinian civil society through community development. She has previously served as a training and human resources officer at the development organization, FATEN, and as a board member of the Teacher Creativity Center, an institute offering training courses on democracy and human rights education. She holds a master's degree in democracy and human rights from Birzeit University (2003). During her fellowship at the International Forum, Ms. Shehada is exploring the trends that facilitate and impede the democratization process in Palestine.

Encouraging Youth Participation in Human Rights Work: Perspectives from Central Asia and the Caucasus

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Maria Lisitsyna and Nadia Diuk, director, Central Europe and Eurasia, NED. Sally Blair, fellowship manger of the International Forum, moderated the event.

Kyrgyzstan has suffered a steady deterioration in its human rights record over the past four years, despite growing internal and international demands for human rights and fundamental freedoms. While many societies rely upon their younger members to help revitalize their human rights movements, Kyrgyz youth are less visible in this important role. How can young people in Kyrgyzstan and other parts of Central Asia be motivated to participate in improving their communities? Drawing on her insights as leader of a youth human rights group in Kyrgyzstan, Ms. Lisitsyna sought to address this critical question. She outlined the obstacles preventing young people from more active involvement in civil society initiatives and discussed the role local and international organizations can play in strengthening youth participation in human rights. Ms. Lisitsyna's presentation was followed by comments by Dr. Diuk on the situation of the youth elsewhere in Central Asia and the Caucasus.

Ms. Maria Lisitsyna is director of the Youth Human Rights Group, a Bishkek-based NGO that monitors human rights abuses and conducts educational programs in Kyrgyzstan. A graduate of Kyrgyz National University and the faculty of law at the Kyrgyz-Russian Academy of Education, she has previously worked at the Bureau on Human Rights and Rule of Law. During her fellowship at the International Forum for Democratic Studies, she is studying the American experience of involving youth in human rights activities. Dr. Nadia Diuk is director of Central Europe and Eurasia programs at the National Endowment for Democracy.

Understanding Post-Soviet Politics:New Democracies or Neopatrimonial Systems?

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Oleksandr Fisun. Sally Blair, fellowship manger of the International Forum, moderated the event.

In the twelve years following its collapse, the countries of the former Soviet Union have taken increasingly divergent paths away from communism. While a few of the new independent states have adopted liberal democracy as a form of government, others remain authoritarian, while still others represent a complex blend of democratic and nondemocratic features. How are we to make sense of the many faces of the post-Soviet state? In his presentation, Dr. Fisun surveyed the range of hybrid regimes that have emerged since the collapse of communism and attempted to classify them according to their political characteristics. He paid special attention to the neopatrimonial systems that have come to dominate the post-Soviet landscape and discuss the key factors that account for their emergence.

Dr. Oleksandr Fisun is associate professor of political science at Kharkiv National University in Ukraine. In 2001, he spent six months as a research scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center's Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies. He is presently working on a comparative study of postcommunist political regimes, a project that seeks to understand post-Soviet political transformations, their outcomes, and consequences. During his fellowship at the International Forum, he is preparing a book-length manuscript on this topic, intended for both scholars and policy makers.

Uzbekistan: The Road to Nowhere?

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Muborak Tashpulatova . Sally Blair, fellowship manger of the International Forum, moderated the event.

Since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Uzbekistan has remained under the authoritarian rule of President Islam Karimov. Over the past thirteen years, the Karimov regime has systematically quelled political dissent, centralized control of the economy, censored the media, and in other ways dominated all aspects of Uzbek life. How has Central Asia's most populous republic found itself in such a dismal situation and what can be done to reverse it? In her presentation, Ms. Tashpulatova examined the various external and internal forces that have brought Uzbekistan to its current state and considered how civil society might be expected to survive in such a climate of repression. She concluded by proposing concrete ways in which local and international actors may strengthen democratic forces in the country.

Ms. Muborak Tashpulatova is executive director of the Tashkent Public Education Center, a leading civic education organization in Uzbekistan that trains teachers in interactive methods of education, produces textbooks on teaching human rights and civic education, and conducts civic forums for parents, youth, and the government. She is also a recipient of NED's 2002 Democracy Award. During her fellowship at the International Forum for Democratic Studies, Ms. Tashpulatova is evaluating current options and strategies for promoting democracy in Uzbekistan.

2004 Democracy Award Honors Russian Activists

On June 9, the National Endowment for Democracy presented its Annual Democracy Award to the leaders of four of Russia’s most outstanding nongovernmental groups that are working to advance and preserve democratic reforms in that country. [more...]

Pakistan: Democracy, Authoritarianism, and the Consolidation of Military Rule

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Aqil Shah. Sally Blair, fellowship manger of the International Forum, moderated the event.

Since Pakistan gained its independence from British rule in 1947, the military has played a dominant role in the country's politics. In October 1999, the military once again deposed an elected government and has since come to occupy center-stage in this important nuclear state. In his presentation, Mr. Shah focused on the political behavior of the Pakistani military in explaining the country's failed democratic transition. Following a brief overview of the origins of military interventionism in Pakistan, he examined the military's role in constraining and eventually reversing Pakistan's transition to civilian rule in the 1990s. Finally, he explored the present status of civil-military relations and the prospects for democracy in Pakistan in the wake of recent attempts by Pakistan's General-President Musharraf to institutionalize the military's predominant role in governance.

Mr. Aqil Shah is a political analyst and columnist who covers national security issues, politics, and civil-military relations in Pakistan. He has worked as a consultant with the South Asia Project of the International Crisis Group, the UNDP, and Transparency International. A Rhodes Scholar with an M.Phil. from Oxford University, he has taught international relations at Quaid-e-Azam University in Islamabad and has authored a number of articles and book chapters, including "Pakistan's 'Armored' Democracy," which appeared in the October 2003 issue of the Journal of Democracy. Mr. Shah's fellowship project examines the institutional sources of Pakistan's failed transition to democracy in the 1990s, a project that will culminate in a major article for publication.

Political Advocacy in Bulgaria: Practices and Prospects

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Lyudmila Georgieva and Paul McCarthy, senior program officer for Southeastern Europe, NED. Sally Blair, fellowship manger of the International Forum, moderated the event.

More than a decade has passed since Bulgaria held its first fully democratic parliamentary elections, yet open channels of communication connecting citizens and political institutions remain few and far between. In her presentation, Ms. Georgieva examined the factors that aid and impede citizen participation in the decision-making process and discussed how current lobbying strategies and techniques may be improved in order to facilitate greater interaction between Bulgarian policy makers and their constituencies. She paid special attention to the role of NGOs in strengthening political participation in Bulgaria.

Ms. Lyudmila Georgieva is founder and chairperson of Foundation Common Cause Bulgaria, an organization devoted to encouraging and supporting citizen participation in political processes. One of Bulgaria's leading experts on the principles and practice of political advocacy, she has headed her organization's Citizen Lobby and Citizen Participation projects, and has lectured widely on lobbying techniques. She is also a member of the public council to the parliamentary committee on civil society affairs, the first committee in Bulgarian parliamentary history established to advance legislation strengthening civil society. Mr. Paul McCarthy is Senior Program Officer for Southeastern Europe at the National Endowment for Democracy.

The Imperative of State-Building

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Francis Fukuyama, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University. Marc F. Plattner, co-director of the International Forum, moderated the event.

Francis Fukuyama is Bernard Schwartz Professor of International Political Economy at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University. His many important books include The End of History and the Last Man (1992), Trust: The Social Virtues and the Creation of Prosperity (1995), and Our Posthuman Future: Consequences of the Biotechnology Revolution (2002). He is a member both of the NED's board of directors and of the Journal of Democracy Editorial Board. Dr. Fukuyama's new book State-Building: Governance and World Order in the 21st Century has just been published by Cornell University Press. An article drawn from the book appeared in the April 2004 Journal of Democracyunder the title "The Imperative of State-Building."

Is Mongolian Democracy in Danger of Backsliding?

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Enkhtuya Oidov and Louisa Coan Greve, senior program officer for Asia, NED. Sally Blair, fellowship manger of the International Forum, moderated the event.

Mongolia has been lauded for its embrace of democracy and practice of good governance since its transition from communism in 1990. Recent violations of democratic norms, however, threaten to reverse the political gains made over the past 15 years. In her presentation, Ms. Oidov surveyed Mongolia's experience with democracy, noting the progress the country has made and the obstacles it has overcome. She also discussed the increasing accumulation of power in the hands of the ruling elite and demonstrated how that trend, if left unchecked, threatens to undermine democracy in her country.

Ms. Enkhtuya Oidov has been a pioneer in the struggle for democracy in Mongolia since the late 1980s. A founding member of the Mongolian Party for National Progress, Mongolia's first political party to advocate free-market reform and the core of today's Democratic Party, she was one of only eight women elected to parliament for the 1996-2000 term, serving as head of the parliamentary women's caucus. In 1992, she co-founded LEOS, the country's largest women's NGO and only grassroots organization with national reach. During her fellowship at the International Forum, she is studying the recent rise in human rights abuses in Mongolia and identifying ways of reversing them. Ms. Louisa Coan Greve is Senior Program Officer for Asia at the National Endowment for Democracy.

Democracy Romanian Style: Assessing Fifteen Years of Postcommunist Transition

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Vladimir Tismaneanu. Marc F. Plattner, co-director of the International Forum, moderated the event.

In his presentation, Dr. Tismaneanu assessed Romania's main achievements and setbacks on its path toward democratic consolidation over the past fifteen years. Drawing on interviews with major political figures-including President Ion Iliescu with whom he coauthored a book of dialogues that was recently launched in Bucharest-Dr. Tismaneanu also examined Romania's current political situation as it prepares for parliamentary and presidential elections scheduled to take place in November and December 2004. In conclusion, he explored the political implications of Romania's entry into NATO and its candidacy for membership in the European Union.

Dr. Vladimir Tismaneanu is professor of government and director of the Center for the Study of Post-Communist Societies at the University of Maryland-College Park. From 1998 to 2003, he was the editor of East European Politics and Societies, a leading quarterly journal in the field, and currently serves as the chair of its educational committee. He is the author of numerous books on East European history and politics, including, most recently, Stalinism for All Seasons (2003). His articles and interviews have appeared in major American and European publications, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and the Times Literary Supplement.

Singapore: Myth or Model

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Chee Soon Juan and Louisa Coan Greve, senior program officer for Asia, NED. Sally Blair, fellowship program manager of the International Forum, moderated the event.

Singapore is often upheld as a model of economic freedom, good governance, and political stability, a country with one of the world's freest market economies headed by a government that controls corruption and enjoys popular support. Does this picture represent fact or fiction? Is the city-state really as open and successful as this image would imply? In his presentation, Dr. Chee Soon Juan presented a side of Singapore that is seldom brought to light--a side that challenges many long-held myths concerning the country's political and economic situation. Drawing on his considerable experience in opposition politics, Dr. Chee examined these lesser known aspects of Singaporean society and explored prospects for genuine democratic development in his country.

Dr. Chee Soon Juan is secretary general of the Singapore Democratic Party and director of the Open Singapore Centre, an NGO that promotes accountability in all sectors of Singaporean society. Imprisoned twice for championing democratic change, Dr. Chee continues to be a powerful voice of dissent in his country. He is the author of numerous books and articles, including Your Future, My Faith, Our Freedom: A Democratic Blueprint for Singapore (2001), To Be Free: Stories From Asia's Struggle Against Oppression (1998) and Dare to Change: An Alternative Vision for Singapore (1994). Ms. Louisa Coan Greve is Senior Program Officer for Asia at the National Endowment for Democracy.

Armenia in Regional Context: Prospects for Democracy and Integration

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Anahit Bayandur. Sally Blair, fellowship program manager of the International Forum, moderated the event.

Armenia is currently at a crossroads in its pursuit of democracy and regional stability. As in other post-Soviet states, the transformation period has been characterized by some progress and significant set-backs, including a distortion of democratic values, violations of the electoral process, and a lack of judicial independence. Unresolved conflicts continue to impede progress toward regional integration and cooperation. What can help or hinder the strengthening of civil society in Armenia? What possibilities for democratic development are in evidence today in light of the processes underway in neighboring Georgia and Azerbaijan, as well as in Russia? In her presentation, Ms. Bayandur examined these issues and offered recommendations for both national and international policy.

Ms. Anahit Bayandur is a leading activist of peace and human rights and a former member of the Armenian parliament. During her fellowship at the Forum, she is researching practical applications of American democratic institutions in Armenia and the Caucasus. In 1992, she was awarded the Olof Palme Memorial Prize for International Understanding and Common Security (with Arzu Abdullayeva of Azerbaijan) for their joint efforts to bring peace to the two countries.

The New Face of Power in Azerbaijan: Assessing Ilham Aliyev's First Hundred Days in Office

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Shahin Abbasov, Nadia Diuk, director of the Central Europe and Eurasia program, NED, and Miriam Lanskoy, program officer of the Central Asia and the Caucasus, NED. Sally Blair, fellowship program manager of the International Forum, moderated the event.

Five months have passed since Ilham Aliyev succeeded his father as Azerbaijan's president, bringing to an end a decade of rule by the elder Aliyev. How has Azerbaijan fared since its new leader took office? Does the younger Aliyev's rise to power signal a turning point in Azeri politics or a continuation of old trends? In his remarks, Mr. Abbasov assessed Ilham Aliyev's first hundred days in office and considered Azerbaijan's prospects for democratic reform under its new leadership.

Mr. Shahin Abbasov is deputy editor-in-chief of the daily Echo, an independent newspaper based in Baku, Azerbaijan, and former editor-in-chief and senior correspondent at Zerkalo, one of Azerbaijan's largest independent dailies. He has previously served on the executive board of Azerbaijan's National Committee of the Helsinki Citizens Assembly. Dr. Nadia Diuk is Director, Central Europe and Eurasia, at the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). Dr. Miriam Lanskoy is Program Officer for Central Asia and the Caucasus, at NED.

From NAFTA to CAFTA: Prospects for Strengthening Free Trade and Democracy in Central America

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Francisco Villagrán de León, Daniel Fisk, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, U.S. State Department, and Isaac Cohen, president of INVERWAY. Sally Blair, fellowship program manager of the International Forum, moderated the event.

The presenters sought to identify ways in which the upcoming Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) may further democratic and institutional development in Central America. While trade and investment opportunities have been highlighted as important vehicles for economic growth, the institutional setting required to take full advantage of those opportunities has not been sufficiently examined. Central Americans need to take a closer look at the relationship between trade policy, political conditions, and institutional development. Under what conditions will free trade lead to greater democratization? How will weaknesses and strengths in government institutions affect countries' abilities to seize the opportunities presented by the trade accord? What kinds of political and institutional reforms are necessary? These were some of the questions explored in the session.

Mr. Francisco Villagrán de León is a career diplomat with 18 years of experience in the Guatemalan Foreign Service. He has served as Guatemalan ambassador to the Organization of American State, the United Nations, Canada, Norway, and Germany. As an envoy, he worked to win support for Guatemala's social, political, and institutional development, in terms of both official development assistance and private and nongovernmental support. He has been an active member of Guatemalan civil society organizations, including the Center for the Defense of the Constitution (CEDECON), of which is a former board member. Before coming to NED, he worked as a consultant on institutional development to the Organization of American States.

Mr. Daniel Fisk is deputy assistant secretary of state in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. Mr. Isaac Cohen is president of INVERWAY, a Washington, D.C.-based company dedicated to business development in the Western Hemisphere.

Is Anti-Americanism a Threat to Democracy?

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon seminar featuring Ivan Krastev, chairman of the board of Bulgaria's Centre for Liberal Strategies. Marc Plattner, co-director of the International Forum, moderated the event.

The seminar featured a presentation by Ivan Krastev, chairman of the board of Bulgaria’s Centre for Liberal Strategies, a prominent think tank in Sofia, and the coeditor (with Alina Mungiu-Pippidi) of Nationalism after Communism: Lessons Learned (CEU Press, 2004). Mr. Krastev is also research director of the Politics of Anti-Americanism project of the Central European University in Budapest and the Remarque Institute at New York University.

His article on the implications of growing anti-Americanism, which appeared in the April 2004 Journal of Democracy, formed the basis for his presentation at the International Forum.

Getting Democracy Right: Postcommunist Accession to the European Union

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon presentation featuring Rastislav Kacer, Ambassador of the Slovak Republic to the United States, and Robin Shepherd, public policy scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Marc Plattner, co-director of the International Forum, moderated the event.

Before assuming his position as ambassador in July 2003, Rastislav Kacer was state secretary of the Slovak ministry of defense (2001-2003) and director general of the division of international organizations and security policy at the Slovak ministry of foreign affairs (1999). From 1994 to 1998 Mr. Kacer was Slovakia's liaison officer at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, where he played a key role in Slovakia's successful application to join the North Atlantic alliance.

Robin Shepherd was the Moscow bureau chief of the Times of London from 2002 to 2003. He lived and worked in the former Czechoslovakia for most of the 1990s, and has written a book on the first 10 years of postcommunist transition entitled Czechoslovakia: The Velvet Revolution and Beyond (Palgrave/Macmillan, 2000). Since coming to the Woodrow Wilson Center in the Fall of 2003, Mr. Shepherd has been conducting research on the impact of enlargement on the European Union.

Aiding Dissidents in Closed Societies

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon presentation featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellow Tomáš Pojar, Chris Sabatini, NED Senior Program Officer, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Brian Joseph, NED Program Officer, Asia. Marc Plattner, co-director of the International Forum, moderated the event.

Dissidents in closed societies can play a significant role in overcoming dictatorship and providing leadership in times of political change. Yet, despite their valuable contribution to democracy promotion, dissidents tend not to receive the full range of external support they deserve. This is surprising, for dissident aid is both inexpensive and effective. What can democracies do to strengthen the efforts of those working on behalf of freedom in the world's most repressive countries? In his presentation, Mr. Pojar examined the merits of governmental and nongovernmental approaches to dissident aid and made the case for overt financial support of dissidents on the part of democratic governments. The presentation was followed by comments by NED staff Chris Sabatini and Brian Joseph.

Mr. Tomáš Pojar is director of People in Need (PIN), a leading Prague-based organization devoted to humanitarian assistance and democracy promotion in repressed societies, crisis areas, and war-torn countries. During his fellowship at the Forum, he is conducting research on the various Western democracy-assistance programs available to dissidents in authoritarian states, such as Belarus, Burma, China, Cuba, and North Korea. The results of this study will enable his organization to identify and implement the most feasible and effective strategies for strengthening the work of human rights activists in closed societies. Dr. Chris Sabatini is NED senior program officer for Latin America and the Caribbean. Mr. Brian Joseph is NED program officer for Asia.

Challenges to Democracy in Africa: Perspectives from Sierra Leone, Sudan, and Uganda

The International Forum for Democratic Studies held a luncheon presentation featuring Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Zainab Bangura, Anne Mugisha, and Albino Okeny

Prospects for political stability and good governance in Africa have been overshadowed by a grim reality of collapsed states, failed democracies, and endemic corruption. How can we understand and seek to overcome these setbacks to the earlier promise of democratic development? Three leading voices from across Africa will offer perspectives on this complex question. Zainab Bangura, a prominent political activist, identified patterns of civil war, economic collapse, and human rights abuse, with a particular focus on Sierra Leone. Albino Okeny, an independent journalist, examined censorship of state-owned and private media in Sudan. Anne Mugisha, a lawyer active in opposition politics in Uganda, discussed the impact of proposed constitutional changes on her country's democratic transition. The symposium concluded with a discussion of how international actors can help strengthen democratic forces in Africa.

Ms. Zainab Bangura is co-founder of the Campaign for Good Governance, Sierra Leone's largest indigenous NGO, and founding chair of the Movement for Progress, a Sierra Leonean political party. Ms. Anne Mugisha is a founding member of the Reform Agenda, a Ugandan political opposition group, and founding director of Change Initiative, a Ugandan organization that advocates democracy and good governance. Mr. Albino Okeny is co-founder of the Khartoum Monitor, a leading Sudanese independent daily, and a program officer at Panos-Eastern Africa, which promotes press freedom and information exchange on issues of global concern.

Activists Energized by Durban Meeting

Durban, South Africa was the backdrop for an inspiring meeting of nearly 600 democracy activists who gathered for the Third Assembly of the World Movement for Democracy.

NED Honors Graham and McHugh with Democracy Service Medal

Senator Bob Graham and former Congressman Matthew McHugh were awarded NED's Democracy Service Medal in recognition of their service to NED and for their efforts to champion democracy throughout the world.