LITHUANIA PASSES THE PRESIDENCY OF THE COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACIES TO MONGOLIA
At the Ministerial Conference of the Community of Democracies on July 1, Audronius Ažubalis, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs passed the Presidency of the Community of Democracies to Mongolia and said that during the biennial Presidency of this organization, Lithuania had done its best to ensure that the goals of the Community would be consistently pursued and thanked all the countries which had supported Lithuania. Ažubalis symbolically presented the flag of the Community of Democracies to the President of Mongolia Tsakhia Elbegdorj.
The Ministerial Conference of the Community of Democracies agreed on the package of reforms that, according to Ažubalis, would "crystallize the mandate of the Community of Democracies and adjust it to the current issues".
The Minister expressed hope that the Community would re-emerge as a more efficient and relevant forum, committed to the continuous development of democracy around the world.
According to Ažubalis, the agenda of Lithuania's Presidency of the Community of Democracies focused on civil society, women's rights, democratic reforms and the strengthening of reforms of the Community.
Three new pillars of the Community, namely the Young Leaders Forum, Parliamentary Forum and Corporate Democracy Forum have been established within the past two years of Lithuania's Presidency. According to Ažubalis, it expands the reach of the Community of Democracies and encompasses "all major pillars of a pluralist democracy".
Also the engrained reforms will translate into a renewed and expanded membership of governing bodies, and a more vigorous involvement at multiple levels.
Furthermore, the Community of Democracies is launching a new initiative - the Democracy Partnership Challenge - which is meant to encourage democratic reforms in countries emerging from authoritarian rule.
The Vilnius Declaration, which is expected to be adopted at the end of the Ministerial Conference, will highlight the above-mentioned achievements and endorse new initiatives of the Community of Democracies.
