[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 102 (Wednesday, July 24, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1344]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


       THE I.R.I. PROMOTES DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM AROUND THE WORLD

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDWARD R. ROYCE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 23, 2002

  Mr. ROYCE. Mr. Speaker, the importance of democracy and strong 
democratic institutions in today's world cannot be overstated; we have 
too many recent examples of the dangers posed by their absence. I would 
like to salute the International Republican Institute (IRI) and its 
dedicated work to promote and strengthen democracy around the world.
  It is now impossible for us to ignore the potential that unstable 
states have as breeding grounds for terrorists and terrorist 
activities--particularly in Africa, where many weak and undemocratic 
states make fertile ground for terrorism. Africa has been the scene of 
past terrorist acts, as we saw in the tragic bombings of U.S. Embassies 
in Kenya and Tanzania.
  In my role as Chairman of the International Relations Africa 
Subcommittee, I have had the opportunity to witness IRI's work in a 
number of African countries in which political development has been 
seriously challenged by ethnic and religious conflict, mass violence, 
and corrupt leadership. In 1999 I led an IRI election observation 
delegation to observe the historic democratic elections in Nigeria.
  In that key country today, IRI is working with Nigerian political 
parties to prepare for upcoming elections and to encourage the 
increased participation of women in the political process. IRI also 
conducted, along with the National Democratic Institute and the 
International Foundation for Election Systems, a pre-election political 
assessment of Angola, a country that may be starting to make democratic 
progress from a savage civil conflict. A current program in Burundi is 
providing training and support to a legislature struggling to move 
forward after a genocide of horrific proportions and ongoing violent 
unrest that threatens the stability of the entire Great Lakes region.
  In these constantly changing political landscapes, IRI continues to 
work in innovative ways to address democratic priorities. For example, 
building on several years of successful training with local government 
in South Africa's young democracy, IRI is now constructing a program 
which will strengthen a local government and community-level response 
to the AIDS epidemic, a national crisis which threatens both 
development and democratic stability.
  By working to foster strong democratic institutions, transparency and 
accountability in government, and political empowerment at the 
grassroots level, institutions such as IRI promote international 
political stability and further the ideals of democratic freedom 
throughout the world.

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