But too often, government commitments at the international level do not lead to change for citizens. I came a little bit late. Azerbaijan was not part of any of it. So we very much hope that aspects of the summit process will continue beyond March. And how do you ensure that the commitments made at the second summit will be properly followed through after the second summit? Roundtables on each of the four priority areas will occur prior to the Summit and may continue post-Summit to create enduring partnerships. Its a good question to be asking, and one that well look forward to answering soon. But let me just say a few brief words on the run of show. In this on-the-record briefing,Senior Director Berschinski discusses the Year of Action following the first Summit for Democracy in December 2021 and preview the upcoming Summit which aims to strengthen democratic institutions, tackle corruption, and defend human rights. And to what extent might you include people who do hold America to account, like us journalists? Great. MODERATOR: Thank you. On timing, I dont think of us as being late. Okay, that was a comprehensive question. Thats what we were expecting for the summit. For those on Zoom, you can hit the raise hand icon to ask your question. Companies, therefore, have an incentive and a vital role to advance democratic norms, principles, and institutions. This is a particularly important time one week ahead of the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, and the topic of democracy a key tenant of the strategy documents that you just mentioned. The defining question of this age is whether democracies will continue to deliver for their people in a rapidly changing world. And the reception that the Summit for Democracy has received that weve received about it from our partner governments has been overwhelmingly positive. An official website of the United States Government, 2023 Summit for Democracy: Progress in the Year of Action. The institutional framework and capacity of election management bodies, including issues around transparency, neutrality, professionalism, autonomy, resources and legal protections. Renewing democracy is 'defining challenge of our time,' Biden tells summit As you said, we are not asking anyone to choose sides. This one will be roughly 15 months instead of 12 months. Summit for Democracy Year of Action Dialogue: Beyond the Summit for We have to take each issue uniquely in turn. I have a follow-up question, really, because what will be your message to African leaders gathered around the table in Washington on what preconditions for also taking a seat at the table of your democracy summit will be? So, for example, Ambassador Katherine Tai, the U.S. Trade Representative, will lead our delegation in Korea, and Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, our ambassador to the United Nations, will lead the delegation to Costa Rica. Fulfilling a joint "Year of Action" commitment from the first summit, the Biden administration is reportedly . The Summit for Democracy is a virtual summit hosted by the United States "to renew democracy at home and confront autocracies abroad". The cohort is hosted by Latvia, Canada, and Alliance for Securing Democracy. The first effort. THE WASHINGTON FOREIGN PRESS CENTER, WASHINGTON, D.C. MODERATOR: Well, good morning, everyone, and welcome to the Washington Foreign Press Centers briefing on the 2023 Summit for Democracy. This cohort is run by the United States and AFL-CIO. So we purposefully chose a partner from most regions. Thats not the same thing as making specific demands, and we did not make them. The United States did invite an organization to be an observer in your midterms. What are those things that you think might need to be worked on, and are you constructing your agenda with that in mind? The cohort is hosted by Bulgaria, the Center for Study of Democracy, and the Basel Institute. Jose, go ahead and unmute yourself. The overarching aim of the Technology for Democracy Cohort, as part of the overall Year of Action to support the Summit for Democracy (S4D2) process, is: to promote the use of technologies and digital connectivity to strengthen democracies and enhance the enjoyment of democratic freedoms, and ensure technologies are deployed in a free, responsible, secure, resilient way., The cohort is hosted by UK, Estonia, and Access Now. It was a difficult choice; there are plenty of great partners to choose from around the world. The cohort undertakes collaborative activities to enhance understanding of election integrity with due regard to national, social and cultural contexts. But how is your react to that criticism? The organizers of the democracy summit seem to understand this as they launch a "year of action" in which summit participants and other critical stakeholders will focus on reinforcing and . Democracy Cohorts are co-led by governments and civil society. Delegates listen to a speaker during a 'People's Summit on G20" in New Delhi, India, Friday, Aug. 18, 2023. In a historic decision, Ecuadorians voted on Sunday against the oil drilling of a protected area in the Amazon that is home to two uncontacted tribes and serves as a biodiversity hotspot. USAID's Participation in the Summit for Democracy And we have cast a very wide net and we sent the message to those that werent invited that we have an open-door policy. Could you speak specifically to statecraft? On December 9-10, 2021, President Biden hosted the first of two Summits for Democracy, a global gathering of 100 government leaders, hundreds of members of civil society, and the business community, to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing democracies in the 21st century. Marti Flacks Director and Senior Fellow, Human Rights Initiative. What happens after the second summit? That is true, as Ive mentioned, in the United States, among many countries around the world. Thank you to the journalists for participating. WASHINGTON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden gathered over 100 world leaders at a summit on Thursday and made a plea to bolster democracies around the world, calling safeguarding. So the second summit, unlike the first, is not going to be fully virtual. Hi. The United States launched the Summit for Democracy process in early 2021 to put new and high-level focus on the need to strengthen democratic institutions, protect human rights, and accelerate the fight against corruption both at home and abroad. The Summit for Democracy (S4D), which took place December 9-10 2021, officially launched with a call to action around democracy, anti-corruption, and human rights. In Spring and Fall 2022, the Department of State, USAID, and other federal agencies held a series of consultations with a broad cross-section of non-governmental organizations, philanthropies, and the private sector to discuss fulfillment of U.S. I will say at the top that meaningful change in democratic societies takes time. This concludes todays briefing. MARCH 9, 2022 On December 9-10, 2021, President Biden hosted the first of two Summits for Democracy, a global gathering of 100 government leaders, hundreds of members of civil society, and the business community, to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing democracies in the 21st century. Thanks everybody for joining today really appreciate you taking the time. QUESTION: Okay, thank you very much. Alex Raufoglu from Turan News Agency. Weve extended invitations to 120 foreign governments and other partners to join this group. The four areas are: Private sector partners can share their commitments with the U.S. government by completing the Commitment Proposal and sending it to SummitPrivateSector@state.gov. Just one quick not that I compete with Pearl; I cant. But I think the expectation is that the invite list to the second summit will look very similar to the ultimate participation list from the first summit. Lets go here, and then well go to Pearl. He will start with some opening remarks and then we will take your questions. Im really pleased that you have made yourself available to actually come over here to meet and talk with us. And given that the next generation in regards to democracy on the African continent, and also around the world, depend on the next generation, my question is: How do you plan to engage between now and during that summit next year? Thats neither here nor there, but if we in our work are trying to articulate to our audiences to help them understand America, I think mass communication and a public diplomacy element, you should I wonder if you would agree with me there that plays a really critical role in explaining to the world exactly your motivations and your foreign policy conduct. During the "Year of Action" following the first Summit for Democracy in December 2021, the United States and over 100 partner governments around the world have taken meaningful steps to build more resilient democracies, combat corruption, and defend human rights. The first Summit for Democracy (S4D) and Year of Action put the spotlight on democracy at a critical time, it engaged leaders to formulate domestic and external commitments on democracy and human rights. Thank you. And if I may, I have another question. MR BERSCHINSKI:Hi, Alex. Our distinguished briefer today is NSC Senior Director for Democracy and Human Rights Rob Berschinski. We invited over 100 government leaders. New funding will enable new and existing initiatives, programs, and policies that support free and independent media, combat corruption, bolster democratic reformers and human rights activists, defend free and fair elections, and ensure that technology works for and not against democratic societies. Every time I travel and in my engagement with the diplomatic corps here, governments are really excited about what theyre doing in terms of follow-up to the work. We break down each of the ten commitments into a series of specific and measurable steps . Democracy correlates with increased GDP, and democratic governments pursue more economic reforms, reduce social unrest, and see higher business investment than non-democracies. Thank you. And theres always been this talk of how Western countries, including the United States, has come to observe elections to find out whether they are free, fair, and credible. During this Year of Action, the United States and our partners are actively engaged in implementing over 750 commitments made at the first Summit for Democracy. We have time for one final question, and well go to Alex. Thank you. A couple of questions. Thanks for the briefing. An official website of the United States Government, Call to the Private Sector to Advance Democracy, Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy, Office of the Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology, Office of the U.S. Special Presidential Coordinator for the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, Office of the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, Special Representative for Syria Engagement, U.S. Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Office of the U.S. So Ill conclude with that, Doris, and welcome questions. I dont think its the role of the U.S. Government to say to a foreign government, you must do X thing. The leaders plenary will be. The cohort is led by Lithuania, Freedom House, and Alliance of Democracies. To realize people-centered justice, the Cohort aims to tie the themes of the Summit for Democracy with a call to action articulated in The Hague Declaration. MODERATOR: I think we will go online now. So Id like you to talk about elections specifically . The second part is, in broad strokes, as I said before, we cast a very wide net. And theyre each going to host this is a segue to the last part of your the first part of your question theyre each going to host in-person events. And given that the next generation in regards to democracy on the African continent, and also around the world, depend on the next generation, my question is: How do you plan to engage between now and during that summit next year? Year of Action - The Summit for Democracy - United States Department of The purpose of the cohort is to highlight and promote the connection between gender equality and democracy and to develop policy recommendations to bolster womens participation in and contribution to democracy. MODERATOR: Thank you. I was part of the Obama administration at the point at which YALI and some parallel programs were set up, and we see clearly what dividends they pay. Over to you. We have hands raised there. As a reminder, this briefing is on the record, and we will post the transcript later today on our website at fpc.state.gov. What is your assessment on the objectives of the first summit, how much you have been able to achieve them? Some changes may be made, but that decision hasnt been made. (Laughter.) We call it the Presidential Initiative for Democratic Renewal and it breaks into five pieces, one of which is fighting corruption, another one of which is supporting free and independent media and as part of that have rolled out a number of new programs globally that take on different facets of supporting free and independent media. So this is very much at the heart of everything were trying to do because we know how important free media is to democratic societies and, frankly, just to educated societies. Catch the top stories of the day on ANC's 'Top Story' (18 August 2023) And in terms of invites and this goes for invitations to any country we havent made final decisions on invites at this point. Thats at www.state.gov/summit-for-democracy. Year of Action Factsheet - Summit for Democracy FACT SHEET: Summit for Democracy: Progress in the Year of Action With their use at the most senior levels of government growing rapidly, the commitments offer a way for governments to get started with a key technique for a better democracy. On December 9-10, 2021, President Biden hosted a Summit for Democracy to bolster democracy worldwide, by taking steps to defend against authoritarianism, fight corruption, and promote respect for human rights both at home and abroad. The message we gave all of our partners, including those who were invited to the first summit, after it occurred, was what we want to see is active participation under the themes that the summit covers: strengthening democracy wherever you are on the spectrum of lived reality in terms of your governing structure, protecting human rights, doing more to fight corruption. It offers . It takes time to put in place important regulations, and so on and so forth. Thanks so much. And I bring commitments up in my bilateral engagements, the President brings them up in his, the Secretary of State, the National Security Advisor. MR BERSCHINSKI: Thanks, Doris. Civil society partner: the Global Forum on Media Development. We are starting to field questions along these lines from many of our partners. Zainab shows her inked finger after voting for the first time in May 2018 at the Harsham camp for Internally Displaced Persons in Erbil, Iraq. For more information, contact Themba Mahleka, Senior Program Officer, Justice for All, Pathfinders, For any inquiries please contact the NGO sponsor, the newDemocracy Foundation (Australia) , Event Recap: Championing Digital Democracy for All: Collective Action from the Technology for Democracy Cohort, S4D: Highlights from the second Summit for Democracy, One out of every seven people in the world has a disability. The message we gave all of our partners, including those who were invited to the first summit, after it occurred, was what we want to see is active participation under the themes that the summit covers: strengthening democracy wherever you are on the spectrum of lived reality in terms of your governing structure, protecting human rights, doing more to fight corruption. QUESTION: My name is Miya Tanaka, also from Japans Kyodo News. MR BERSCHINSKI: Yes, absolutely. Its going to look different in different environments, but at the end of the day we are striving to incorporate the work that I coordinate on a day-to-day basis, but in partnership with all of my colleagues across the National Security Council, as we work on peace and security issues. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. November 2022 Latest News Declaration of the Summit for Democracy FACT SHEET: The Biden-Harris Administration's Abiding Commitment to Democratic Renewal at Home and Abroad And of course, were going to highlight what the BidenHarris administration has done domestically to deliver for the American people in partnership with the Congress on issues like infrastructure and healthcare and climate and manufacturing and so on. MR BERSCHINSKI: So no final decision has been made. Great to see you. (Laughter.) The U.S. Government is sending high-level delegations to each of our co-host partners events in support of what theyre doing. Just to make sure were on the same page, when you said no final decision was made, also you said but at least wont be different than the first summit. Thanks for the briefing. I would Ill follow up on each part but I would point you to my opening remarks, which covered a little bit, at least, of the answer to the first series of questions. Good to see you. It is democracy here. And we look to double down on that work for the second summit. MODERATOR: Thank you. Top Story | ANC (18 August 2023) - Facebook The importance of the fight against corruption, hosted by Treasury Secretary Yellen; and the ways in which the Department of Justice is defending the rule of law from transnational threats, which will come via a speech from Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. And were not going to be the judge of another country the strength of another countrys democracy. Thank you to the journalists for participating. The cohort is further organized into three work streams: For more information or to join the cohort, contact Internews: media-freedom-cohort@internews.org. The formal summit runs from next Wednesday, March 29th, to Thursday, March 30th, and will be preceded by a day of high-level thematic events on Tuesday, March 28th, hosted by members of President Bidens cabinet and other senior U.S. Government officials. Summit for Democracy Year of Action Dialogue: Beyond the Summit for Were also doing a tremendous amount of bilateral diplomacy at all times, and were engaging through various multilateral organizations like the UN and really have made a concerted effort. And these multiple summits on a more sort of international relations theoretical aspect is this more now your new form of statecraft? We purposefully cast a very wide net with the first Summit for Democracy; we invited over 100 world leaders at many different stages in terms of their history of democratic governance and the strength of their democratic governance. Its going to look different in different environments, but at the end of the day we are striving to incorporate the work that I coordinate on a day-to-day basis, but in partnership with all of my colleagues across the National Security Council, as we work on peace and security issues. And lastly, if I may, when we talk about participating countries, we usually talk about two categories, those who were invited, those who were not. We have purposefully avoided preconditions. The Cohort invites interested governments, organizations, private sector actors, and donors to participate in its activities, to maintain engaged collaboration around people-centered justice beyond the Summit for Democracy 2023 through the Justice Action Coalition, and to consider a potential membership in the Justice Action Coalition. And I will throw it back to Rob for any closing remarks. Ill argue theres another category, those among those who were not invited, you manage to engage with opposition groups, particularly when it comes to Russia, Belarus. The question I have specifically is whether Mexico will be invited to the summit. First off, let me associate myself and the U.S. Government with your point on the importance of free and independent media. The second part is, in broad strokes, as I said before, we cast a very wide net. QUESTION: Hello. It takes lifetimes. I dont want to get ahead of the President and other senior officials, but suffice it to say that were looking forward to announcing a number of new initiatives to demonstrate how the United States is working to advance our pro-democracy and pro-human rights agenda. Its going to feature pretty prominently in the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, as you probably know. But after March youve got Sierra Leone, for example; Benin, for example; Zimbabwe, for example, will be having its elections. Summit for Democracy: Progress in the Year of Action So as we announced last week, President Biden will be co-hosting the second Summit for Democracy on March 29th and 30th of next year with the leaders of Costa Rica, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea, and the Republic of Zambia. And I say that with all due acknowledgment and humility in terms of the stresses that U.S. democracy has been under in recent years and continues to be under. The question I have specifically is whether Mexico will be invited to the summit. And then on media inclusion in the second summit, first off, absolutely, as you referenced, we are thinking about what the agenda will look like. Thats a portfolio that is inclusive of our anti-corruption work, foreign malign influence, information integrity and resilience, technology and democracy issues, transnational repression, and the topic du jour, which is the Summit for Democracy process. In addition to all of the diplomatic and programmatic support that the U.S. Government has provided and will continue to provide to media around the world as part of the Summit for Democracy process, we issued a half-billion-dollar just shy of half-billion-dollar basket of deliverables. Thats true of those we invited; its true of those we didnt. Remarks By President Biden At The Summit For Democracy Opening Session On this the third summit, or the potential for a third summit, we also havent made a decision yet. Thats not our intention. The U.S. Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development With the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and economic instability all disproportionately impacting persons with disabilities, having a voice in governance is crucial. As was just mentioned, we are hosting 50-some-odd governments right now. What I can say is that Mexico is a strong and close democratic partner to the United States. So I appreciate that. Thank you. Advancing Freedom of Expression: Legal and regulatory reforms that protect freedom of expression, as enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The three themes are defending against authoritarianism, addressing and fighting corruption, and advancing respect for human rights. President Biden feels very strongly that that is a threat to global peace and security, and the livelihoods of the American people and people around the world. I would again refer you to how we describe it in the recent National Security Strategy, but its at the very heart of how we think about these issues. In the lead-up to the second Summit for Democracy, the cohort is focused on three themes: For more information, please contact[emailprotected]. Well take our next question from Kemi Osukoya from Africa Bazaar. Thank you. I came a little bit late. I think its a worthwhile idea to bounce around. Biden's democracy summit must deliver on its aims to beat What is your assessment on the objectives of the first summit, how much you have been able to achieve them? Any particular reason why you guys moved it back to next year instead of this December? NSC Senior Director for Democracy Rob Berschinski, Wednesday, December 7, 2022, 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The Youth Participation Cohort of the Summit for Democracy is devised as an inclusive platform to take meaningful action toward implementing Summit for Democracy commitments on youth political and civic engagement through resources, expertise, research, activities, and achievements. Thanks so much. The events of 2022 put in stark relief what we already knew that democratic government grounded in the rule of law and the will of the governed remains, for all its messiness and challenges, the best tool humanity has to unleash human potential, maintain international peace and security, grow prosperity, and uphold human dignity. Summit for Democracy: Year of Action - U.S. Department of State With the goal of reaching the Sustainable Development Goal 16.3 equal access to justice for all, the Cohort seeks to transform justice systems by putting people at the center. Summit for Democracy: Year of Action Kick-Off Meeting with Civil Society, February 10, 2022 Today, President Biden opened the first-ever Summit for Democracy, a forum for leaders from around the world to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing democracies in the 21st century. First announced at the U.S. MR BERSCHINSKI:Okay, that was a comprehensive question. MODERATOR: Thank you so much. Coordinator for the Arctic Region, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, Office of International Religious Freedom, Office of the Special Envoy To Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Office of the Science and Technology Adviser, Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, Bureau of Information Resource Management, Office of Management Strategy and Solutions, Bureau of International Organization Affairs, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, U.S. For more information or to join the cohort, contact Internews: Sheltering and Protecting Democratic Activists Fleeing Authoritarian Regimes, Countering the Phenomenon of Transnational Repression, Building Resilience to Economic Coercion by Authoritarian Regimes, With the goal of reaching the Sustainable Development Goal 16.3 equal access to justice for all, the Cohort seeks to transform justice systems by putting people at the center. Do you plan to bringing the youth to prepare them for leadership, democracy, moving forward?