Discussions commenced by reciting a recent statement made by Kenya’s Prime Minister Raila Odinga. He claimed that, for instance, Chinese development assistance is more helpful because it focuses on bringing good infrastructure rather than demanding good governance, as is done especially by European donors.
Liberia’s president Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf agreed with her colleague, arguing that:
“Building infrastructure is important in order to foster the process of development and democracy. People want roads. They want access to schools, healthcare and information.”
Other panellists strongly opposed what they saw as a simplified view on a complex issue.
“This is not about roads,” said Karel de Gucht, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid. “It’s about the Chinese putting development money into Africa without any conditions at all. And that pleases African leaders.”
Gunilla Carlsson, Sweden’s minister for International Development Cooperation, was likewise frank: “I will continue my position that democracy and development goes hand in hand.” She compared the development of countries like Zimbabwe and Botswana, claiming that democratic rules made an obvious difference for people’s living conditions.
Amr Moussa, Secretary General of the League of Arab States, pointed out the problems of double standards, inconsistency and credibility from the western donor community; especially in the footprints of the “war on terror” when, according to him, democratic nations carried out non-democratic practices.
“Democracy and development are like a sister and brother,” Moussa said. “They belong to the same family, but have their own identity.”
A discussion about the necessity of elections in a democratic process evolved. In some developing countries are they just a simulation and create more turmoil than stability? Or are they really a helpful tool in developing institutions and civil society?
“During the last decades we missed out on real people in development,” said Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Executive Director, United Nations Populations Fund, and hoped for more power for the grassroots in society.
Representing the voices of the voiceless, Kumi Naidoo, co-chair of the Global Call to Action Against Poverty, lobbied for “bailing out the poor”. Helen Clark, Administrator at the United Nations Development Programme, could not agree more. But as many other speakers mentioned, it is more than a matter of money.
“One missed link to democracy is that women still have not been cut fully into developing work,” Clark spelled out.
