Africa Liberal Network
The Africa Liberal Network (ALN) is an organization composed of 47 political parties from 29 countries in Africa. It is an associated organisation of Liberal International, the political family to which Liberal Democratic parties belong. The ALN serves to promote liberal objectives and principles throughout the continent.
Parties involved in the ALN agree to a policy stating that they: exist to ensure the freedom and dignity of all people through; establishing political and civil rights, ensuring basic freedoms, the rule of law, democratic government based on free and fair elections with peaceful transition, ensuring religious, gender, and minority rights, fighting corruption, and establishing free market economies.
Development
The network developed from what was originally the Organisation of African Liberal Parties and was established during an initial meeting of parties in Mombasa, Kenya in July 2001. It was formally launched at a subsequent meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa in June 2003. This meeting adopted the Johannesburg Declaration, committing the parties to core liberal democratic principles. The network is now run from the Democratic Alliance headquarters in Cape Town, South Africa.[1] The Westminster Foundation for Democracy primarily supports the ALN, and since its inception it has maintained a mutually beneficial relationship with other partners. To ensure sustainability the ALN is seeking to diversity and broaden its support and partnership base to include other institutions.
Objectives
The Africa Liberal Network's objectives are:
- Facilitate the development and growth of Liberal Democratic parties.
- Encourage solidarity among member parties with the aim of assisting them to achieve power through democratic means.
- Establish an alliance of like-minded Liberal Democratic parties in Africa for sharing information and experiences.
Projects and activities
The ALN's projects focus on: coordination and leadership meetings; election/campaign support; policy development; party organisation and development; political education, civic awareness, voter education and registration; joint policy positions; training seminars, workshops; gender and youth mainstreaming; information and Skills exchange through visits, website, bulletin, publications, research.
Members
- Organization of African Liberal Youth-Liberals Energizing African Democracy OALY-LEAD
- Alliance for Democracy and Federation-African Democratic Rally ADF-RDA
- Union for Progress and Reform UPC
- Alliance démocratique pour le renouveau ADR
- Alliance Nationale pour les Comores ANC
- National Alliance of Democrats for Reconstruction ANADER
- Alliance pour le renouveau au Congo ARC
- Parti national pour la réforme PNR
- Peuple au Service de la Nation PSN
- Union pour la Majorité Républicain UMR
- Union des Démocrates Humanistes UDH-Yuki
- Liberal Party of Ghana LPG
- Progressive People's Party PPP
- Parti de l'Unité et du Libéralisme Social PULS
- Rassemblement pour la République RPR (application under review)
- Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea UFDG
- Union of Republican Forces UFR
- People's Liberal Party PLP
- Orange Democratic Movement ODM
- Arche de la Nation ADN
- Movement for the Progress of Madagascar MFM
- Forum for Democratic Devolution FDD
- Parti citoyen pour le renouveau PCR
- Party for Economic Development and Solidarity PDES
- Union for the Republic and Democracy URD
- Rassemblement pour la Mauritanie RPM-Temam
- Mouvement pour la renaissance du Niger MRN-NIYYA
- Senegalese Democratic Party PDS
- Parti pour la Liberté et la Citoyenneté / Défar Jikoyi PLC/DJ
- Rewmi
- Peace, Unity, and Development Party KULMIYE (observer)
- South Sudan Liberal Youth Forum SSLYF
- Liberal Party of Sudan LPS
- Truth Federal Party TFP
- Parti des Togolais PDT
- People's Alliance for Change PAC
- United Party for National Development UPND
References
- "DA to host ALN Secretariat". February 2012. Archived from the original on August 28, 2012. Retrieved November 12, 2012.