Home | Letters | EU SUPPORT TO CIVIL SOCIETY APPRECIATED

EU SUPPORT TO CIVIL SOCIETY APPRECIATED

Font size: Decrease font Enlarge font

    Sir,

The Coordinating Assembly of NGOs would like to express appreciation to donors like the European Union (EU) who continue to provide

funding to civil society around the world in order to help civil society advocate for deepening democracy and human rights values in all the parts of the globe. With reference to the Times SUNDAY which captioned a story ‘11.2 million to bring democracy to Swaziland’.  CANGO’s understanding is that Africa, Caribbean and Pacific countries and the European Commission signed the Cotonou Agreement which promotes values including democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The Cotonou Agreement is a treaty between the EU and the African, Caribbean and Pacific group of states (ACP countries). It was signed in June 2000 in Cotonou, Benin’s largest city, by 78 ACP countries and the then 15-member States of the European Union.


It is with understanding that democracy is always work-in-progress and as it has been proved time and again that even some advanced democracies experienced setback once there is complacency among citizens as they will hang on the belief that democracy in their country works.  We are also aware that the Constitution of Swaziland states that Swaziland is a democratic Kingdom and that the Constitution has a Bill of Rights which sets out protected and guaranteed rights and freedoms including the right to freedom of association and freedom of speech, to name a few. The European Union, therefore, is providing support to civil society as it is the citizens who are custodians of democracies. Through such processes, citizens are expected to participate in electing a government of their choice. It is our hope that the government of Swaziland will continue to embrace the role of civil society in advancing democracy as the foundation for peace and development in our country and not to be perceived negatively.


 Vision 2022 can be realised if the country continues to deepen democratic values and norms. The EU funding has come at an opportune time when the country is preparing to go for elections in 2018 and hence it is critical that citizens are educated about democracy and what roles are citizens expected to play in elections. This will evade a situation where electorates are coerced to vote for people whose only agenda is to access resources for individual gains. Hence this call could ensure that women as well are elected in order to advance women and the country’s development. When over half of the population is still left out, it is a setback to the country’s 2022 development agenda.

Nkosing’phile Myeni
CANGO
Communications Officer

Comments (0 posted):

Post your comment comment

Please enter the code you see in the image: