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 world celebrates on the 10th December 2013, the 65th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, signed by the United Nations General Assembly on the 10th December 1948 in Paris, Palais de Chaillot, also known as Trocadero.
Composed of thirty articles, this important document drafted by former prisoners of war, handicapped soldiers, relatives of those who died during the WWII, lawyers, liberal thinkers, religious leaders and civic movement representatives, has become a key tool in the international humanitarian law.
Liberals have been at forefront of the campaign for the adoption of human rights as stated in the Oxford Manifesto approved in 1947.
The ALN, as representative of liberals in Africa, has advocated, since its foundation, the need to celebrate the human rights declaration, not as an event but as a permanent way of living and doing politics on our continent.
As such, the ALN congratulates those countries who have embedded in their political constitutions the principles of the universal declaration of human rights.
Despite the evolution in many countries regarding the constitutional adoption of the universal declaration of human rights, the praxis shows that much more must be done.
As we celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the ALN urges all liberal parties to make a real commitment to integrate human rights as part of the political agenda in their countries.
The ALN leads the human rights agenda in Africa, and especially in this United Nations year of Education for Peace, invites liberal parties across the African Continent to promote and encourage any initiative aiming to disseminate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Peace means in recent days truth, equality, justice, freedom, inclusion, tolerance, participation and solidarity – all core values of human rights and of liberalism.
Indeed, Peace is the other name for Sustainable Development.

Le RLA dénonce le recours à la violence exercée lors des manifestations pacifiques organisées en septembre dernier qui ont provoqué plus de 200 victimes et des centaines de blessés parmi les manifestants.
Le RLA appelle le Gouvernement Soudanais à assumer ses responsabilités en évitant toute impunité pour les responsables de ces exactions qui doivent etre arrêtés, déférés devant la justice et condamnés.
Le RLA apporte son appui au peuple soudanais et aux partis politiques qui ont fait le choix de la liberté et la Démocratie. Le Réseau salue l’adhésion du TRuth Fédéral Parti comme membre observateur aux côtés du LDP. Ils les encourage à poursuivre leur combat en faveur des aspirations profondes du peuple soudanais et enverra une délégation s’enquerir de la situation qui prevaut au Soudan.

The ALN condemns the use of violence during the peaceful demonstrations organised in September 2013, leaving 200 people dead and hundreds injured among the demonstrators.
The ALN calls on the Sudanese government to assume its responsibilities and avoid giving any impunity to those responsible for the violence. They must be arrested, taken to court and punished.
The ALN lends its support to the Sudanese people and to the political parties who have chosen to fight for freedom and democracy. The Network is pleased to announce the arrival of the Truth Federal Party, joining the LDP as a new observer member of ALN. We encourage them to continue their fight to fulfil the aspirations of the Sudanese people and will be sending a delegation to Sudan to study the current situation in the country.

Après la résolution de Bamako, condamnant l’Etat du Sénégal pour violation des droits humains et non respect des décisions des cours de justice de la CEDEAO, la situation politique reste préoccupante. Les derniers développements politiques n’augurent rien de rassurant.
Devant ce constat, le RLA condamne:
-la mise sur pied d’une cour spéciale de justice en toute violation de la constitution;
-la violation du pacte de stabilité de la CEDEAO interdisant la modification de tout code électoral à six mois des élections;
-le non-respect des décisions de la Cour de Justice de la CEDEAO sur la liberté d’aller, de venir et de la présomption d’innocence.