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16 Jan 2012

Arab Awakening Inevitable -UN Meeting Tackles Challenges to Democratization

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Monday, 16 January 2012 (United Nation Information Service) – Participants in ESCWA’s high-level meeting on “Reform and Transitions to Democracy” in Beirut have tackled issues related to challenges facing Arab countries as a result of regional awakening. They highlighted the danger of sacrificing civil and human rights in the name of security and regional stability and emphasized the significance of civic values as the only means to confront communal divisions and the obstruction of transitions to democracy. Sessions of the two-day meeting addressed such topics as the transition of popular movements to political parties, containing counter-revolutionary forces, and Islam in constitutions. Participants were policy makers, experts, academics and others. They included Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Egyptian Member of Parliament Ziad Bahaa El Din, former Chilean foreign minister Juan Gabriel Valdes, Brazilian Senator Eduardo Matarazzo Suplicy, Executive Committee Member in the Palestine Liberation Organization Hanane Ashrawi, former Mauritanian president Ely Ould Mohamed Vall, former Latvian president Vaira Vike-Freiberga and others (see attached). Discussions focused on the uprisings as part of the region’s historical development and reflected on attempts by international powers to influence the democratization process to serve their own interests. Participants also emphasized the urgency of placing military forces under civilian control, particularly elected representatives who are accountable to their citizens, and the importance of integrating youth of the revolutions in the transition process. Speakers also debated whether the media coverage has affected progress and outcomes of the various uprisings across the region, and how media outlets should balance requirements for independence and objectivity with demands to support just causes and democratization efforts across the Arab region. All speakers emphasized that for effective democratic transitions and a brighter future in the region, the centralization of human rights and social justice principles in future economic strategies was paramount.
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