NIGERIA ELECTED TO THE PRESIDENCY OF THE COMMUNITY OF MEMOCRACIES (2015 – 2017)
At the recently concluded 7th Governing Council Meeting of the Community of Democracies held on 26th February, 2013, at the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva, Nigeria was unanimously elected President of the Community of Democracies for the 2015 – 2017 period after the Presidency of El Salvador. The Nigerian delegation to the victorious Geneva outing was led by Professor (Mrs.) Viola Adaku Onwuliri, Honourable Minister of State 1 for Foreign Affairs.
2. The Community of Democracies is an influential, global, Inter-Governmental Organization of Democratic Nations. The Community of Democracies established in year 2000. The Organization works to strengthen democracy worldwide through the provision of support to emerging democracies, civil societies and democracies in transition.
3. As the campaign gathered momentum, the Kingdom of Morocco withdrew and Canada stepped down for Nigeria. The Presidency of this influential Organization is elected by open competition for two years among Governing Council members following bids from individual countries during the second year of a Presidency cycle, taking into account the desirability of regional rotation and rotation between newer and more established democracies.
4. Following Nigeria's ascension to the coveted position of incoming President, Government will participate in a high level global conference in April in Ulaanbaatar Mongolia where Mongolia the current President, will hand over to El Salvador and Nigeria formally acknowledged as a member of the new Troika.
5. At the behest of Nigeria, the Governing Council considered the case of South Sudan, Africa's youngest democracy for partnership assistance from the Organization under its funded program known as the Democracy Partnership Challenge (DPC) from which Countries in democratic transitions are assisted.
6. Nigeria's unanimous election to the Presidency of the Community of Democracies is indeed a global reaffirmation, commendation and acknowledgement of her sustained democratic strides as the biggest democracy in Africa. Her leading and stabilizing role in the strengthening and consolidation of peace and democracy within and beyond our Continent and Sub Region and her heroic role as a major contributor to global peace-keeping efforts. The Nigerian Government will host a National Democracy Workshop in the first quarter of 2013 to fashion out a vision for Nigeria's Presidency.
O.F. Muoh
Director, Office of the Honourable Minister of State I
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Tafawa Balewa House
Abuja.