Zambia Supports African Renewal, Co-Hosts #SummitForDemocracy

First convened in December 2021, the Summit for Democracy of June 2023 grew from a campaign pledge of Joe Biden, who promised that as U.S. president he would support democratic institutions around the world, as well as in the United States.

The second summit this week includes a day of U.S. cabinet and sub-cabinet-hosted discussions on 28 March of such thematic issues as reforming international assistance, just economies, the status of women and tackling hate-fueled violence. Plenary Day, the summit's official beginning on 29 March led by five co-hosts -- the United States, Costa Rica, Netherlands, Republic of Korea, and Zambia, scheduled to be followed by a day of in-person or hybrid regional gatherings led by the summit's five co-host countries with representatives from government, civil society, and the private sector.

As the African co-host of this year's Summit for Democracy, Zambia is strongly promoting democratic values that draw on traditional African roots of citizen participation, peaceful resolution of conflicts, a toleration of diversity and shared economic prosperity. As examples, Zambia has repealed a defamation law and abolished the death penalty, arguing that expanding citizens' freedoms leads not to instability but to more security and prosperity.