Analysis by In Washington, the Biden administration's signature ideological confab is underway. The second Summit for Democracy formally starts Wednesday, bringing together representatives from around 120 countries in mixed in-person and virtual meetings staged in the United States as well as in Costa Rica, the Netherlands, South Korea and Zambia. It follows the first gathering of its sort in December 2021 and is a major plank in President Biden’s vision of “restoring” American leadership on the world stage after four years of disruptive, angry Trumpism.
“As President Biden has said, we have to prove democracy still works and can improve people's lives in tangible ways,” noted a State Department press release. “To do that, democracies have to come together — to rejuvenate and improve our open, rights-respecting societies from within; to stand together in defending against threats from autocracies; and to show we can address the most pressing crises of our time.”
But, in private, some U.S. officials and many foreign policy experts in Washington roll their eyes over the whole affair. Critics see the event as an inconsequential talk shop or an unwelcome showcase into the inconsistency of U.S. foreign policy on the world stage, as Washington goes to bat for human rights in some contexts and looks the other way in others. Participation in the summit doesn't necessarily come with any obligations, nor are there any genuine mechanisms to hold participant countries to certain commitments or standards surrounding their democracies.
For what it's worth, the Biden administration is using the moment to address a weighty, diverse set of issues. On Tuesday, a preliminary set of meetings saw the United States make a commitment along with 20 other countries to enhance corporate transparency standards, increasing governments’ abilities to track and prevent the “dirty money” of kleptocrats and autocrats from being laundered in their banking systems. The sessions also touted steps taken to link development aid with democratic consolidation, to buttress organized labor in democracies elsewhere, to boost female participation, and to protect against online harassment and abuse.
在華盛頓，拜登政府標誌性的意識形態對話正在進行中。 第二屆民主峰會將於周三正式開幕，來自大約 120 個國家/地區的代表將在美國以及哥斯達黎加、荷蘭、韓國和讚比亞舉行麵對麵和虛擬會議。 它是在 2021 年 12 月舉行的第一次此類會議之後舉行的，是拜登總統在經曆了四年的破壞性、憤怒的特朗普主義之後“恢複”美國在世界舞台上的領導地位這一願景的重要組成部分。
“正如拜登總統所說，我們必須證明民主仍然有效，並且可以切實改善人們的生活，”國務院的一份新聞稿指出。 “要做到這一點，民主國家必須團結起來——從內部振興和改善我們開放、尊重權利的社會； 共同抵禦專製威脅； 並表明我們可以解決我們這個時代最緊迫的危機。”
但是，私下裏，一些美國官員和華盛頓的許多外交政策專家對整個事件不屑一顧。 批評者認為這次活動是一個無關緊要的談話場所，或者是美國外交政策在世界舞台上前後矛盾的不受歡迎的展示，因為華盛頓在某些情況下為人權而戰，而在其他情況下卻視而不見。 參加峰會並不一定會帶來任何義務，也沒有任何真正的機製可以讓參加國遵守圍繞其民主製度的某些承諾或標準。
無論如何，拜登政府正在利用這一時刻來解決一係列重大而多樣的問題。 周二，在一組初步會議上，美國與其他 20 個國家承諾提高企業透明度標準，提高政府追蹤和防止盜賊和獨裁者的“髒錢”在其銀行係統中被洗白的能力 . 這些會議還宣揚了將發展援助與鞏固民主聯係起來、支持其他民主國家的有組織勞工、促進女性參與以及防止網絡騷擾和虐待所采取的措施。
Over the past year, Biden has leaned in heavily into a narrative of the Ukraine war that pits Kyiv's fledgling democracy against the tyranny of the Russian invader. In the Ukrainian capital and at the ramparts of a famous castle in Warsaw, he repeatedly appealed to the solidarity and strength of democracies around the world in the fight against authoritarian rulers and tendencies. At this address, he described the geopolitical moment as “an inflection point,” where the United States and its partners can turn the tide of a grim period of global democratic backsliding.
Whether that's something Biden can actually achieve is unclear, but he has set out his stall. Skeptics of the whole enterprise fear the United States is not fully invested in the effort and has halfheartedly and inconsistently “centered” human rights in its foreign policy. They point to myriad examples, from Biden's mending of fences with the Saudi royal he once vowed to make a “pariah” to the United States' tepid response to a de facto anti-democratic coup in Tunisia (to be sure, the North African nation was not invited to this week's gathering), to its embrace of India — the world's largest democracy and a desired ally in the confrontation with China but one dominated by a right-wing religious nationalist ruling party that, most recently, expelled India's most prominent opposition leader from parliament.
The United States, out of principle, did not invite Turkey or Hungary to this week's summit, a mark of how it views both countries' democratic decline in recent years. But then there's the awkward case of Israel, long hailed by Washington as a beacon of democracy in the Middle East, but which has been in global headlines for the crisis that sees it lurching down the Hungarian path. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu backtracked this week from a controversial effort to assert greater political control over Israel's judiciary and appears to still be slated to participate in the summit.
在過去的一年裏，拜登大量傾向於烏克蘭戰爭的敘事，這場戰爭將基輔剛剛起步的民主與俄羅斯入侵者的暴政相提並論。 在烏克蘭首都和華沙一座著名城堡的城牆上，他一再呼籲世界各地的民主國家團結起來，團結力量，與專製統治者和傾向作鬥爭。 在這次講話中，他將地緣政治時刻描述為“一個轉折點”，美國及其夥伴可以在這個轉折點扭轉全球民主倒退的嚴峻時期。
這是否是拜登真正能夠實現的目標尚不清楚，但他已經擺好了攤位。 整個企業的懷疑論者擔心美國沒有充分投入這項努力，並且在其外交政策中半心半意且前後不一致地“以人權為中心”。 他們舉出無數例子，從拜登修補與沙特王室的關係，他曾發誓要成為“賤民”，再到美國對突尼斯事實上的反民主政變反應不溫不火（當然，北非國家 沒有被邀請參加本周的聚會），擁抱印度——世界上最大的民主國家和與中國對抗的理想盟友，但一個由右翼宗教民族主義執政黨控製的國家最近驅逐了印度最主要的反對派 來自議會的領袖。
美國出於原則沒有邀請土耳其或匈牙利參加本周的峰會，這表明它如何看待這兩個國家近年來的民主衰退。 但接下來是以色列的尷尬案例，長期以來被華盛頓譽為中東民主的燈塔，但它一直在全球頭條新聞中看到它在匈牙利的道路上蹣跚而行。 以色列總理本雅明內塔尼亞胡本周放棄了一項有爭議的努力，以加強對以色列司法機構的政治控製，似乎仍將參加峰會。
“Netanyahu has already recorded a video message for Biden's democracy summit and submitted it to U.S. officials in Washington, said a diplomat, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive topic,” my colleagues reported. “The Biden administration has given no indication that it plans to rescind Netanyahu's speaking opportunity at the summit, though some liberal supporters of Israel say providing a platform for Netanyahu under the current circumstances is at odds with the mission of the summit.”
Biden told reporters Tuesday: “Like many strong supporters of Israel, I'm very concerned. I'm concerned that they get this straight. They cannot continue down this road. I've sort of made that clear.” But has Biden?
Supporters of the gathering insist it's better than nothing. Laura Thornton of the Alliance for Securing Democracy, a program run out of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, argued that while far-right populists and ultranationalists of various stripes are building global networks and partnerships, liberal democrats need to do the same. “It is high time those who believe in democracy come together with the same level of organization, enthusiasm, and support for one another to defend a liberal democratic order,” she wrote.
“Without suggesting that the fight has been won, or that Biden is doing everything right, I think we need to give him credit for helping to save American democracy and standing up to the great authoritarian powers,” Tom Malinowski, a former U.S. diplomat and Democratic congressman from New Jersey, told the New York Times.
Others lament the absence of real teeth to Biden's democracy-boosting rhetoric. “They can bolster democratic activists and strengthen civil society organizations, but they can't impose costs on autocrats for malign behavior,” wrote Jon Temin of the Truman Center for National Policy. “As a result, the Biden administration's approach to democracy support has plenty of programmatic carrots but few policy sticks. This isn't a formula for success, since autocrats and reformers alike can see that Washington will commit resources to defend democracy but won't use its leverage or expend political capital to do so.”
And policy wonks also bristle at the overtly ideological character of the project. “The summit for democracy is a bad idea that [won't] go away,” tweeted Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations. “Beyond the awkward 'whom to invite' issue, American democracy is hardly a model for others. Plus we need non-democracies to help us in the world, from sanctioning Russia to slowing climate change.”
“內塔尼亞胡已經為拜登的民主峰會錄製了一段視頻信息，並提交給了華盛頓的美國官員，”一位要求匿名討論敏感話題的外交官說，“我的同事們報道說。” “拜登政府沒有表示計劃取消內塔尼亞胡在峰會上的發言機會，盡管以色列的一些自由派支持者表示，在當前情況下為內塔尼亞胡提供一個平台與峰會的使命不符。”
拜登周二對記者說：“和以色列的許多堅定支持者一樣，我非常擔心。 我擔心他們會弄清楚這一點。 他們不能在這條路上繼續下去。 我已經說得很清楚了。” 但是拜登有嗎？
集會的支持者堅持說總比沒有好。 美國德國馬歇爾基金會的一個項目“保障民主聯盟”的勞拉·桑頓 (Laura Thornton) 認為，雖然極右翼民粹主義者和各種極端民族主義者正在建立全球網絡和夥伴關係，但自由民主人士也需要這樣做。 “現在是那些相信民主的人以同樣的組織水平、熱情和相互支持來捍衛自由民主秩序的時候了，”她寫道。
美國前外交官湯姆·馬林諾夫斯基 (Tom Malinowski) 表示：“雖然沒有暗示這場鬥爭已經獲勝，或者拜登所做的一切都是正確的，但我認為我們需要讚揚他幫助拯救美國民主和對抗強大的威權主義力量。” 來自新澤西州的民主黨國會議員告訴紐約時報。
其他人則對拜登促進民主的言論缺乏真正的牙齒感到遺憾。 杜魯門國家政策中心的 Jon Temin 寫道：“他們可以支持民主活動家並加強民間社會組織，但他們不能讓獨裁者為惡意行為付出代價。” “因此，拜登政府對民主的支持有很多計劃性的胡蘿卜，但政策大棒卻很少。 這不是成功的公式，因為獨裁者和改革者都可以看到華盛頓將投入資源來捍衛民主，但不會利用其影響力或花費政治資本來這樣做。”
政策專家也對該項目明顯的意識形態特征感到憤怒。 “民主峰會是一個壞主意，[不會] 消失，”外交關係委員會主席理查德哈斯發推文說。 “除了‘邀請誰’這個尷尬的問題之外，美國的民主很難成為其他國家的典範。 此外，我們需要非民主國家在世界上幫助我們，從製裁俄羅斯到減緩氣候變化。”
Summit for Democracy 2023
https://www.state.gov/summit-for-democracy-2023/?
THE MARCH 2023 SUMMIT
- Official Events
- Additional Events
- Announcements
- Social Media Call to Action
- Civil Society-Led Events
Official Events
All times are listed in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) unless otherwise indicated.
March 28, 2023: Thematic Day
On Tuesday, March 28, the U.S. Government hosted a variety of Cabinet- and Sub-Cabinet- level thematic events to spotlight key Summit themes. These included:
Partnering for Democracy: New Approaches for Reform
9:00 am-4:45 pm – The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) hosted a full-day, four-session event, led by Administrator Samantha Power, that highlighted new approaches and partnerships that strengthen democracy, human rights, and governance. The first session highlighted USAID and our partners’ efforts to surge resources to reformers during democratic openings. Session two featured USAID’s new People Centered Justice (PCJ) approach to Rule of Law programming, and highlighted the Rule of Law and People Centered Justice Multistakeholder Cohort’s Declaration and Call to Action. Session three identified new approaches to addressing inequality and building trust in societies. Session four focused on the work of the USG-led Financial Transparency and Integrity (FTI) Multistakeholder Cohort, including launching the Cohort’s Pledge and Call to Action, and highlighted how USAID is modernizing its support to anti-corruption reformers.
A Just and Lasting Peace in Ukraine
9:00 am-10:00 am – The U.S. Department of State hosted a panel session, chaired by Secretary Antony Blinken, about the need for a Just and Lasting Peace in Ukraine. The virtual gathering featured the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, discussing his vision for a just and lasting peace, alongside Foreign Ministers from a regionally diverse group of countries. This gathering provided an opportunity to hear various perspectives on the elements needed to end Russia’s war and establish a durable peace in Ukraine in line with principles contained in the UN Charter.
The Complex Path to Achieving Democratic Dividends
10:00 am-11:30 am – The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) co-hosted a panel session to examine the linkages between democracy, economic growth, and poverty reduction. The session, chaired by MCC CEO Alice Albright and NED Chairman Kenneth Wollack, explored the challenges that democracies and aspiring democracies face in responding to citizens’ needs, and how MCC and the NED provide support to bolster institutions and build resilience around democracy and economic growth. The session highlighted experiences from Cote d’Ivoire and The Gambia, where both MCC and NED have been working to help governments meet citizen’s needs, with participation by the governments of each country and prominent civil society representatives.
A Conversation with Deputy U.S. Attorney General Lisa Monaco on Defending the Rule of Law against Hostile Nation States
10:30 am-11:30 am – At the Council on Foreign Relations, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco discussed how the U.S. Department of Justice is countering new and evolving threats to the rule of law posed by hostile nation states, from transnational repression to foreign malign influence.
Anti-Corruption as a Cornerstone of a Fair, Accountable, and Democratic Economy
10:30 am-12:00 pm – The U.S. Department of the Treasury hosted an event , chaired by Secretary Janet Yellen, which brought together leaders from government, civil society, and international organizations to discuss the efforts to counter corruption and illicit finance in order to uphold the rule of law, promote good governance, and ensure an equal economic playing field.
Strengthening Unions, Safeguarding Democracy
11:30 am-1:00 pm – The U.S. Department of Labor hosted a session to elevate the role of labor movements as drivers of democracy and essential components of democratic societies. Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights Uzra Zeya gave a keynote address highlighting labor related achievements throughout the Summit’s Year of Action. Government and labor representatives highlighted country cases and approaches of labor movements defending, reclaiming, and expanding democratic space, with an emphasis on the responsibilities of governments to protect and hold space for democratic labor movements.
The Status of Women is the Status of Democracy
1:00 pm-2:30 pm – The U.S. Department of State hosted an event, chaired by Secretary Antony Blinken, that built directly on the December 2021 Summit for Democracy event “Empowering Prosperity: Advancing Women to Advance the Status of Democracy.” This gathering highlighted the imperative of gender equity and equality to democratic, rights-based societies and the universal importance of women’s civic and political participation, as well as underscored one of the biggest barriers women and girls face: online harassment and abuse. The event showcased the Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse, a 12-country initiative and commitment announced by the U.S. government at the first Summit.
- Event Moderator: Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues Senior Official Kat Fotovat
- Opening Remarks: Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Gender Policy Council Jennifer Klein
- Keynote: Secretary of State Antony Blinken
- Pre-Recorded Remarks:
- President Nataša Pirc Musar of Slovenia
- Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Foreign Trade and the Federal Cultural Institutions Hadja Lahbib of Belgium
- Minister for Foreign Affairs Lars Løkke Rasmussen of Denmark
- Panel One: Advancing Women’s Political and Civic Participation
- Moderator: USAID Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman
- Speakers:
- Ambassador for Gender Equality Sofia Calltorp of Sweden
- Inter-American Commission of Women Executive Secretary Alejandra Mora Mora
- Search for Common Ground CEO Shamil Idriss
- Panel Two: Collective Actions to Counter Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse
- Moderator: National Democratic Institute Director of Gender, Women and Democracy Sandra Pepera
- Speakers:
- U.S. Special Representative for Racial Equity and Justice Desirée Cormier Smith
- Former MP Phumzile Van Damme of South Africa
- #ShePersisted Co-Founder Kristina Wilfore
The 2023 Forum on Business and Democracy
8:30 am-12:30 pm – Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves represented the U.S. government at a Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)-hosted half-day Forum spotlighting the importance of the private sector to democracy and the commitments that companies are making to advance it. This official Summit side event featured senior government officials, corporate executives, and civil society leaders, who spoke to the influence companies can have on democratic resilience through their business practices, corporate leadership, and engagement with workers, communities, and other stakeholders. Building on the Summit’s themes of countering authoritarianism, combating corruption, and promoting human rights, and in alignment with the State Department’s February 3 Call to the Private Sector to Advance Democracy, the Forum focused on how forward-thinking private sector leaders are strengthening democracy around the world, including by: countering the misuse of technology, fighting corruption, protecting civic space, and advancing labor rights.
Confronting Hate: Tackling Hate-Fueled Violence as a Threat to Democracy—A Summit for Democracy-Associated Event
1:30 pm-2:30 pm – Georgetown University hosted a conversation on how hate-fueled violence presents a threat to democracy and what governments can do to respond. Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall and Deputy Homeland Security Advisor Joshua Geltzer were joined by former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and Executive Director of Georgetown Law’s Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection Mary McCord for a discussion moderated by Georgetown School of Foreign Service Professor Bruce Hoffman. The conversation assessed the state of the threat to democracy posed by hate-fueled violence and explored how the U.S. Government has responded, including through its issuance of the first-ever National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism, its convening of the United We Stand Summit , and its development of a national strategy for addressing anti-Semitism. The discussion looked ahead to the evolution of the threat in years to come and drew lessons from America’s response for other democracies confronting similar challenges.
