Or, as the Americans would have it, Egyptian fall. My take on what is happening in Egypt right now is one I set out in the (much delayed) Lords debate on the Arab spring over a year ago. In brief, democracy is not just about voting. Voting is necessary but insufficient in itself. The state needs a constitutional structure and…
On my previous visits to Rwanda over recent years, I have either been supporting specific projects managed by the Hunter or Clinton Foundations, or by other international NGO’s, or meeting the President to discuss global challenges: education, conflict, development. So Friday 24 May, the first full day of our APPG visit was particularly interesting. Meeting…
Today concern about the potential break-up of Britain – in light of the planned referendum on independence for Scotland – will be raised in a debate in the House of Lords. This is a subject about which I care deeply and while I accept that the people of Scotland certainly have a right to vote…
On December 17 2010, a young Tunisian man set himself on fire. This desperate act helped to spark a political revolution in the Arab world. Images of people revolting against notoriously oppressive regimes captivated onlookers worldwide. More than a year later, the world is indeed a different place – long-term dictators have been unseated, governments…
November 28, 2011 was historic in the DRC; the first ever democratic national election organized by the Congolese themselves. Indeed it was only the second time since independence in 1960 that a multi-party electoral vote would be set to determine the presidential seat. However, this relatively undeveloped voting system left the electoral process wide open…
