The fifth edition of the International Day of Democracy was celebrated on September 15.

Cameroon’s National Assembly on September 15, 2012 joined the other member States of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) to celebrate the fifth edition of the International Day of Democracy on the theme, “Dialogue and inclusion, essential ingredients for democracy.” The Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril chaired the opening ceremony of the event at the Ngoa-Ekelle Glass House in the presence of the Prime Minister, Philemon Yang, some members of the diplomatic corps and Members of Parliament.

The House Speaker used the occasion to stress the fact that Parliament must incarnate the principles of democracy that hinge on the plurality of views in political debate. Reiterating the importance of the celebration theme, Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril, invited parliamentarians who are the representatives of the people to contribute to democracy through dialogue within the National Assembly and in the society. He further called for public consensus on general issues, stating that citizens must notice that their worries and preoccupations are taken into consideration. Parliament, he insisted, is a place for debate, quest for consensus as well as the promotion of democracy and good governance. By hosting the celebration, he said, Parliament showed the commitment to its role in promoting inclusion and works with other socio-political actors to promote the culture of dialogue and inclusion.

Hon. Fotso Josephine, a member of the Inter-Parliament Union stated that the theme translated the centre of preoccupation of MPs whose mission among others is to control government action ensuring the participation of all citizens in democracy. Parliament, she said sets out to promote governance and ensure that the minorities are taken into account.

A representative of the United Nations Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Central Africa read the message of the UN Secretary General. He said democracy required patience, perceptible change as well as an active civil society and dynamic private sector. The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Abdelwahad Radi in a message circulated during the event said, “We must ensure that democracy and its institutions are truly inclusive and able to solve today’s problems through dialogue.”

After the official opening ceremony, the House Speaker inspected the paintings exhibited with the aim of narrowing the information gap between Parliament the population. There was also a round table on the celebration theme.