Chairperson,
Distinguished Participants, 

It is great pleasure for me to welcome you to the United Nations Conference Center in Addis Ababa.  I would also like, at the outset, to congratulate the Development Policy Management Forum for organizing and convening this important conference. 

Chairperson,
Distinguished Participants, 

We are gathered here to deliberate on a very important and timely subject for Africa:  democracy, good governance and civil society.  Africa is at critical historical juncture.  Since the beginning of the 1990s, the continent has been swept by a tide of democratic change.  After being gripped by a serious crisis of governance for much of their post-colonial history, many African countries have recently initiated political and institutional changes. 

Tremendous efforts are being made to create more democratic, participatory and pluralist orders and to develop effective, transparent and accountable institutions of governance.  For the first time in post-colonial Africa, indicators of democracy are rising with the continent moving away from one party rule and military regimes towards competitive, mulit-party political processes and increased political liberty. 

Along with political changes of recent years, African countries have undertaken serious rethinking of the role and functions of the state and the need to build capacity for good governance.  Acknowledging their past errors, many governments are striving to reorient their role and functions, and are making attempts to create and/or reorganize institutional structures to consolidate and strengthen the foundations for good governance.  Public management interventions, including downsizing, streamlining of bureaucracies, cost containment, tighter financial control system, improvement of management skills and other reform measures are being implemented.  There is also an active and ongoing campaign to promote the values of integrity, transparency and accountability in public affairs, and against corruption. 

It is gratifying to note that at the height of this drive to democratize the politics of the state and civil society institutions in Africa, one can also witness a simultaneous process of expansion of the role of civil society.  Today, all over the continent a wide range of autonomous and independent organizations, which operate as a channel for the needs and concerns of ordinary citizens are emerging.  They have come to galvanize the democratic movement by openly challenging authority and demanding major reform of national institutions and system of governance.  It is one’s sincere hope that the democratic process and the good governance campaign under way today in Africa will continue to be nurtured and pushed forward by the courage and foresight of civil society leaders and members. 

Chairperson,
Distinguished Participants, 

While the movement towards political changes has been very remarkable, Africa continues to face certain challenges that make the transition to peaceful, democratic and pluralist system of governance very difficult.  Africa continues to be traumatized by many wars and conflicts.  An arc of instability and conflict which extends from the Horn of Africa, down through the Great Lakes region into Southern Africa haunts the continent with potentially devastating bloodshed.  In West Africa, a number of countries remain unstable with high levels of violence. 

These conflicts have had and continue to have extremely adverse effects on the evolution and consolidation of democracy in the continent.  Without peace and stability no amount of effort will secure enduring democracy or lasting improvement in governance.  However, despite these painful difficulties and severe challenges, African countries are going through their democratic transitions with sheer determination and the trend towards democracy and pluralism continues to widen and deepen. 

Chairperson,
Distinguished Participants, 

Here at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, we have been in the forefront of the democratization and good governance initiatives.  In its renewed effort to serve Africa better, the ECA has recommitted itself and has chosen to strategically focus its efforts to promoting democratic changes, strengthening institutions of good governance, and supporting the development of viable, informed and assertive civil society organizations.  Towards this end, ECA working with regional institutions and member governments has initiated an extensive public sector management reform programmes.  The programme focuses on:  advising on restructuring of public service organizations; improving service delivery systems, designing strategies to ensure ethics and accountability and setting up of research and public policy analysis centers that monitor and assess the performance of public agencies. 

Recognizing the importance of strong and assertive civil society organizations for sustaining democratic changes and advancing the good governance agenda, ECA, in collaboration with the African civil society community, has established the African Center for Civil Society.  The Center provides capacity building assistance, offers technical services and facilitates dialogue between African governments and civil society organizations. 

Chairperson,
Distinguished Participants, 

It is my sincere hope that this important conference will be a great opportunity for engaging in substantive discussions on the topical and timely issues of democracy, good governance and civil society in Africa.  I have no doubt that your deliberation will greatly contribute to the furthering of the ideas of democracy and good governance in the continent.