WORKSHOP EXAMINES THE ROLES OF GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION

Democrats from 13 Commonwealth African countries attended a workshop in
Maputo, Mozambique last week, to discuss the contribution of Government and
Opposition to the development of democracy.

The workshop was held from 26 to 30 January 2004 and participants included
senior parliamentarians, political party managers as well as
representatives of civil society.

Participants agreed that Government and Opposition need to work together.
They stressed the importance of a relationship of dialogue between
Government and Opposition and a constructive relationship between
Government and civil society.

The meeting emphasised the need for the Opposition to be effective both in
holding the Executive to account and presenting a set of alternative
policies; to be given adequate parliamentary time and the resources it
needs to enable it to perform its tasks effectively; and to develop a
consensus with Government on issues of national importance and in the
interests of national development.

It agreed that the legislature must be accessible to and ´connect´ with the
people. Parliamentary practices and procedures must be kept continually
under review and Parliament´s style and symbols be relevant to its society.
Participants argued that Parliament needs to be independent of the
Executive -- constitutionally, financially and in all other ways. They felt
that it should above all be effective in scrutinising and acting as a check
on the Executive, to which end the committee system should be strengthened.

The meeting also felt that Parliament and oversight institutions -- such as
the Human Rights Commission, the Auditor-General, the Ombudsman and anti-
corruption agencies -- need to work more closely together. Parliament
should also strengthen its own ability to exercise oversight and to promote
accountability.

Participants expressed the view that political parties need to be
internally democratic and sustain dialogue between each other and between
themselves and the people, especially in view of the problem of increasing
political apathy. Support was expressed for the idea of the state-funding
of political parties, as long as it is properly regulated and accounted for.

They urged the implementation of the target of at least 30 per cent
representation of women in positions of power and decision-making by 2005
and that it is essential that young people be active participants in the
democratic process.

On the media, participants stressed the importance of equal access by all
parties and fair reporting, especially by state broadcasters -- who should
be transformed into public service broadcasters. The participants also
stressed the need for civil society to build trust and confidence with all
other actors in the democratic process.

Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Florence Mugasha spoke at the
official opening of the workshop on Monday, 26 January at the Assembly of
the Republic. Other speakers included the First Vice-President of the
National Parliament of Mozambique, Dr Veronica Macamo; Chair of the
Southern African Development Community (SADC) Parliamentary Forum and
Speaker of the National Assembly of Lesotho, Ntlhoi Motsamai; and Niall
Johnston of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).

The workshop was organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat in co-operation
with the CPA, the SADC Parliamentary Forum and FECIV Mozambique, a
democracy non-governmental organisation.

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