The ALN would like to congratulate our member party in South Africa, the Democratic Alliance, which has achieved a stunning result of 22% in the national election, representing a 6% growth from the last election in 2009.
In addition to this, the party has retained the Western Cape Province as the ruling party with 59%. The DA is the only party in South Africa to have grown in size since the first democratic election in 1994, while the ruling ANC continues to loose support.
Read more about the incredible gains the DA has made across the country here: http://www.da.org.za/newsroom.htm?action=view-news-item&id=13746

The ALN sends its best wishes to our member party in South Africa, the Democratic Alliance (DA), ahead of the national elections tomorrow, 7 May 2014. The ALN is incredibly proud to be associated with the DA as we believe that it is the only party in South Africa truly capable of realising the Liberal dream of an ‘Open, Opportunity Society for All’. With a sterling track-record of service delivery and job creation in the Western Cape, the province where they govern, we are certain the party will experience growth across the country in this election.

The ALN is proud to host a fringe panel event on trade in Africa at the Liberal International Congress in Rotterdam at 13:30 on 25 April.

Africa Rising: Free Trade on the Fastest Growing Continent

Africa is the fastest growing and most natural-resource rich continent in the world, with the real potential to become the world’s next economic powerhouse. There are, however, still many opportunities that must be seized in order to transform this potential into reality.

With this in mind, the panellists will examine the current state of trade in and with Africa – what African states are getting right, what challenges must still be overcome, how African countries can make themselves more competitive and how the Africa Liberal Network plans on spearheading the drive to increase levels of free trade on the continent.

For more information contact Aimee Franklin on aimee.franklin@africaliberalnetwork.org

The ALN is proud to launch our 2013 Annual Report, which showcases the work we have undertaken during 2013 to advance Liberal Democracy across the continent. Copies of the report can be downloaded in English and French here and can be obtained in print from the ALN Coordinator, Aimee Franklin, on aimee.franklin@africaliberalnetwork.org.

The Organisation of African Liberal Youth (OALY-LEAD) condemns in all forms the decision taken by legislators of Uganda and the signing of the ‘anti-gay’ law by the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

This law is a total disgrace and a clear violation of human rights. Every individual has and should have the right to decide on their sexual orientation.

As OALY-LEAD, we call on youth organisations in and out of Africa to picket outside the Embassies of Uganda throughout the world in protest against this unjust law passed and signed in Uganda.

Every global citizen should have a right to live as they see fit so long as their actions do not infringe on the rights of others. When a person chooses to be gay or lesbian, he or she does so without infringing the choice of other people and as a result, we find no fault in the freedom of choice in this regard.

The picketing and petitions shall place pressure on Uganda to re-consider its legislative position.

Statement released by : Lebo More
President: OALY-LEAD
Organisation of African Liberal Youth – Liberals Energising Africa’s Democracy
Mobile: +27731437508
E-Mail: lebmore@executivemail.co.za

The Africa Liberal Network (ALN) has closely followed the election in Guinea on 28th September 2013. The ALN congratulates the people of Guinea for the calm and serenity that characterised the polls. The massive mobilisation of the Guineans indicates their desire to establish democratic values and good governance in their country, guaranteeing stable and harmonious development.
However, the ALN also notes the serious allegations of electoral fraud that have characterised the parliamentary elections. The alleged electoral fraud and anomalies, highlighted especially by the European Union Election Observation Mission in Guinea, the United Nations and the Observers from the Economic Community of West African States, include :
1. The systematic refusal by the electoral authorities to enrol opposition supporters;
2. The systematic refusal to distribute a significant number of voting cards to opposition supporters already enrolled;
3. Denying access to some polling stations to representatives of opposition parties and observers;
4. The heavy involvement of security forces and government officials in the electoral process, therefore influencing the fairness of the vote.
The ALN welcomes the opposition’s decision to resort to legal means to protest against the irregularities and allegations of fraud. The ALN supports this legal action brought before the Supreme Court.
The ALN urges the Court to make a timeous finding, within the framework of the law, in order to foster stability in the country, enabling the constitution of a parliament that reflects the will of the people expressed on 28th September.
While the Court deliberates, the ALN urges all citizens to remain calm and allow the legal process take its course.
Media enquiries:
Olivier Kamitatu Etsu
Africa Liberal Network President
+24 381 268 1774

During its meeting held on 8th August 2013 in Gaborone, Botswana, the Africa Liberal Network Executive Committee reflected on the just ended Zimbabwean elections.  In doing so, the Executive Committee was guided by the Network’s principles of promoting freedom, human dignity, democratic governance, rule of law, justice, free and fair elections and peaceful transition.  The Executive Committee appreciated that some within and outside Zimbabwe accepted elections as having been conducted satisfactorily, while others remain serious concerned buy instances of serious injury to fairness.
It is on this note that the Executive Committee calls for an independent audit of the 2013 Zimbabwean Elections with a view to dispel or confirm claims and assertions of;
– A failure to effectively enforce the Global Political Agreement, which required the depoliticisation of the security sector, free media, freedom of association and freedom from intimidation.
– Poor management of special vote, with voting beginning late due to a failure to deliver ballots on time and the number of those who cast their votes being inflated.
– Inadequate time for voter registration is certain areas where some parties are prominent in order to disadvantage them.
– Registration in urban areas was far less efficient than in rural ones.
– Allowing voters without voter slips to vote even when they were not on the voters’ roll.
– There were concerns over accuracy of the voters roll, with allegations that 1 million deceased or absent people were recorded on the roll.
– Various competing political parties and candidates were not given an equal opportunity to participate in the elections due to insufficient access to the voters’ roll.
We call on the South African Development Community (SADC) in Lilongwe, Malawi today to support the proposal to hold an independent audit. The Executive Committee of the Africa Liberal Network is of the view that the results of the audit, whichever way they go, will protect the integrity of the efforts of the people of Zimbabwe and their quest to shape their destiny.
Media enquiries:
Olivier Kamitatu Etsu
Africa Liberal Network President
+24 381 268 1774
Gomolemo Motswaledi
Africa Liberal Network Vice-President for Southern Africa
+267 73 355 777

The Africa Liberal Network (ALN) would like to commend all parties in Guinea on the agreement of a framework for much-delayed national elections, now scheduled for late September 2013.
In March of this year, the ALN called for a meaningful and inclusive dialogue between all election stakeholders in the face of widespread instability and violence across the country, fuelled by serious concerns over the credibility of the previous election preparation process.
The political agreement signed this week sets out a new framework for national elections in Guinea and has received the approval of both the Guinean ruling party and the opposition. This is thanks in part to the active and constructive involvement of international partners, who responded fully to the ALN’s call for external mediation.
Central to the new agreement is the decision to limit the involvement of the controversial South African election management firm, Waymark, as well as the decision to permit the large Guinean diaspora to participate in the election, something the government previously refused to allow.
Particular commendation must go to ALN member parties the Union des Forces Démocratiques de Guinée (UFDG), Parti de l’Unité et du Libéralisme Social (PULS) and Union des Forces Républicaines (UFR) who, despite opposition, proceeded to participate in dialogue with the Guinean government in order to secure a constructive resolution to the situation.
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On 1 and 2 June 2013, we, the West African member parties of the Africa Liberal Network, met in Bamako, Mali to discuss the crisis in Mali and security governance in West Africa. After considering the political and security situation in the region, we resolve the following:
Senegal:
We condemn:
– Non-compliance by the Senegalese government with the judgment of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, which found it to be in violation of fundamental rights by enforcing a travel ban on liberal leaders and by violating the right to the presumption of innocence;
– Violations by the government on the freedom of expression and assembly enshrined in the Senegalese Constitution.
We urge:
– Respect for the fundamental values and principles of liberalism;
– Respect for the rule of law, including individual and collective freedoms;
– The separation of powers, including an independent judiciary and the promotion of economic, social and cultural rights.
Guinea:
The ALN is concerned that tensions between the government and opposition parties have continued to escalate since the 2010 elections in which Professor Alpha Conde was elected.
Over the past two years Guinean politics has been marred by numerous human rights violations, including violent clampdowns on and harassment of opposition members, extreme politicization of the administration and intimidation of the media. These actions stand in direct contravention of the Guinean constitution, yet continue unabated.
Political and social tensions have now escalated to a point where significant civil unrest is imminent if action is not taken.
In order to avert a crisis, the ALN, in line with its commitment to the principles of freedom, democracy and peace, call on the all parties in Guinea, including both the authorities and opposition parties, to:
– Hold a structured dialogue in order to find consensus on the choice of private election operator, the process for the revision of the voters roll, international voting and the independence of the National Electoral Commission;
– Halt the violence against citizens and opposition leaders and activists;
– Hold free, transparent, universally accepted elections in order to avoid post-election conflict;
– Allow the United Nations to play a role in facilitating a mediation process.
Adopted in Bamako on June 2, 2013.