‘Strengthen democratic principles in Africa’
The International Socialist Youth Forum has called for the strengthening of democratic principles on the African continent.
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They observed that even though the continent had made great strides in nurturing democracy, there was still more room for improvement.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic after the three-day socialist youth conference on the theme ‘’Democracy and Human Rights’’, some of the delegates described Ghana as a model of democracy.
They, therefore, urged Ghana to continue to be the torch bearer to transform the African Union to deal with issues such as the social, economic and political challenges impeding democracy on the continent.
Mr Bheki Dlamini of the Swaziland Youth Congress said Africa was still dark in terms of democracy and human rights even though some countries such as Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya were making some progress.
Persecution
He said Africa still had countries such as Swaziland, where political parties were banned, and “we continue to see the persecution of political activists advocating democracy and human rights’’.
He said the forum had come at the right time to address issues such as democracy, human rights, the role of women in nation building, as well as eradicating poverty from the continent.
Mr Dlamini said coming to Ghana had rekindled his commitment and inspired him to fight dictatorship in his country because he saw in Ghana the benefits of democracy where people with divergent views coexisted in peace.
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He said this had inspired him to think that democracy was possible in Swaziland and the whole of Africa, more so when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the people of Ghana were very good. That, according to him, showed that “this is a great nation’’ whose democracy ought to transcend its borders to other countries.
Youth charter
Mr Brahim ibni Oumar from Chad said he got to know through the youth forum that the African Union (AU) had adopted a charter on Human Rights in Africa, as well as the Youth Charter.
He said the forum also discussed education of the youth, youth participation in decision making, as well as the role of revolutionary leaders such as J.J. Rawlings, Thomas Sankara, Che Guvera and Nelson Mandela.
He said as socialist youth, they also discussed the role of multinational cooperation in creating monopoly where a few people were controlling the resources of the world while the majority languished in poverty, and how African governments could prohibit monopoly.
Mr Oumar said topical issues such as global warming, the youth charter, the resolutions adopted and how they could be implemented across the continent to bring relief to the masses were discussed.
The forum, he said, also used the opportunity to condemn the South Africa xenophobic attacks, as well as the killing of students in Kenya by the al-shabab terrorist organisation.
Mrs Minetu Larabas Sueidat from Western Sahara said it was a great opportunity for young African leaders to meet in Accra to deliberate on challenges and exchange views, solutions and recommendation for the betterment of Africans.
She said the visit to Cape Coast was a touching experience for her and she was surprised how Ghana could put the history of slavery behind it and forge ahead with democracy, human rights and the rule of law without hatred for the perpetrators.
She said she was also impressed with the importance attached to the youth forum by the hierarchy of the NDC party particulary when the national chairman of the party, the general secretary, national organiser and national women’s organiser found time to attend the forum.