LAST FRIDAY, President Rafael Correa of Ecuador opened the 128th session of the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) at Quito. He stressed in his opening speech the importance of adopting democracy as the ideal form of governance. He added that democracy should always be coupled with economic and social development. The IPU agenda included a workshop on sustainable development and the role of democratic governance in it. The IPU initiative comes at a time when world governments are currently engaged in consultations on how to reframe the global development agenda in the light of new realities and from the perspective of sustainability. Among other things, they have already agreed to develop a new set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that will apply to both developed and developing countries and that will build on the Millennium Development Goals when they expire in 2015. As part of this process, the IPU, which is the international organisation of Parliaments established in 1889, is gathering the views of parliamentarians on the overall vision and the specific goals of the new development framework. Recognising the role of democratic governance as a key enabler of sustainable development, as well as of well-being in general, the IPU is advocating at the United Nations for democratic governance to be included among the new SDGs as a stand-alone goal and/or as a dimension of other goals. Parliamentarians should reflect on democratic governance in its key dimensions and applications. In order to reach common understanding of the issue and of the ways and means in which they can help support it, they should define the objectives of a possible democratic governance goal that would apply to both developed and developing countries. They should also articulate key elements of participation, accountability and transparency; and flesh-out strategic approaches they can utilize in support of the goal. The IPU is the focal point for world-wide parliamentary dialogue and works for peace and co-operation among peoples and for the firm establishment of representative democracy. To that end, it fosters contacts, co-ordination, and the exchange of experience among parliaments and parliamentarians of all countries. It considers questions of international interest and concern and expresses its views on such issues in order to bring about action by parliaments and parliamentarians. Moreover, it contributes to the defense and promotion of human rights – an essential factor of parliamentary democracy and development. The IPU also contributes to better knowledge of the working of representative institutions and to the strengthening and development of their roles.
