Democratic Solidarity Africa
In response to the appeals from African democrats from within the Forum 2000 Community for greater representation of African voices in global and regional discussions, the commencement of Democratic Solidarity Africa (DSA) has been set in motion. The inception of Democratic Solidarity Africa is inspired by the accomplishments of Democratic Solidarity Latin America (DSLA), established in 2013 with goals of information exchange, mutual support, and collaborative actions aimed at bolstering democracy in the region. An idea of establishing an African counterpart to the Latin American initiative was put forward as part of the 27th Forum 2000 Conference.
Corruption, repression, and nepotism severely limit civil and political rights in Sub-Saharan Africa, exposing the deficiencies within existing governance systems. Despite sporadic progress, the region struggles with a critical issue of democratic fragility, as stagnant political regimes contribute to a worrying trend of diminishing democracy and increasing violence. The Democratic Solidarity Africa aims to tackle this challenge by promoting unity and solidarity among democracy defenders from the Sub-Saharan region.
The network aims to:
- Foster, strengthen and cultivate solidarity among democracy advocates in the region through collaborative action on various pressing themes
- Amplify African voices and perspectives in global and regional dialogues
- Develop the project into a long-term and stable network
STEERING COMMITTEE
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Mohamed Abubakr
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Roukaya Kasenally (Chair)
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Jakub Klepal
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Mulle Musau
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Andréa Ngombet
ACTIVITIES
The launch of the project in 2023 enabled the network to meet in person during the 27th and 28th Forum 2000 Conferences in Prague. At Forum 2000, participants had a unique opportunity to share their perspectives on some of the most pressing challenges facing democracy in Africa, including the dilemmas posed by recent waves of coups across the continent, the complexities of Russian and Chinese influences, the war in Sudan, grassroots initiatives in Africa, strategies for promoting free and open spaces in North and West Africa, and many others.
Throughout the year, network members collaborate on various initiatives online, organizing virtual discussions on relevant themes, issuing joint statements, developing analytical papers, and more.
The panel discussion “African Outlook: Geopolitics, Localization, and Ownership”
Joint statement calling for Immediate Release of Thomas Zgambo and Condemning the Ongoing Harassment of Journalists in Zambia
Selection of Photographs from the Conference Panel Discussions and Network Meetings
Audio Briefings
Members of the DSA network with the opportunity to share their inputs in audio briefings.
Simbi Anzaya
Perspectives on Democracy in Africa: Importance of Social Justice, Inclusivity and Gender Parity
Tutu Alicante
Perspectives on Democracy in Africa: Role of Legislation and International Community
