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Conclusions of the 2011 Lisbon Forum

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Conclusions of the 2011 Lisbon Forum ` North-South Centre of the Council of Europe The 2011 Lisbon Forum "The Arab Spring: a major step towards making universal human rights real" CONCLUSIONS 3 - 4 November 2011 Ismaili Centre, Lisbon Event organised by the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe in partnership with the UN Alliance of Civilizations and the Aga Khan Development Network, with the financial support of the European Commission and the Principality of Liechtenstein 2 The 2011 Lisbon Forum brought together some 200 participants from over 50 countries on the theme "The Arab Spring: a major step towards making universal human rights real". In addition to the co-organisers, the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe and the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, and the host organisation, the Aga Khan Development Network, many relevant international players participated in the forum, such as the European Union, the League of Arab States, the Union for the Mediterranean, the African Union, UNESCO, the International Federation of Human Rights and the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network. It provided a unique opportunity to gather together government representatives, parliamentarians, local and regional elected representatives and members of civil society, in accordance with the "quadrilogue" principle that governs the functioning of the North-South Centre and thanks to the synergies developed with the meeting of the "focal points" of the Alliance of Civilizations. The discussions aimed both to identify common features that could be deemed characteristic of the "Arab Spring" and to determine the specificities of and the differences between the countries that had experienced major political upheavals since early 2011. Particular emphasis was placed on three countries, regarded as positive examples of change: Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia. The plenary sessions made it possible to examine the political developments that had caused differing degrees of disruption throughout the Arab world, the relationship between democracy and development, the role of women as agents of change, the importance of citizenship for upholding and promoting human rights and the role of the media and of the social networks during and after the revolutions. Specific workshops were held to analyse in greater detail the situation in the three above-mentioned countries and consider the outlook for co-operation between these countries, the Council of Europe, the European Union and the Alliance of Civilizations. A number of findings surfaced concerning the conceptual frame within which future developments should take place: - firstly, the fact that the Arab revolutions form indeed an interconnected whole. Their common features are a deep-rooted demand for dignity, a (very widely shared) preference for non-violence, the rejection of clan-mindedness and corruption, claims to fundamental individual freedoms and also to economic and social rights, the mobilisation of young people and women, and the role played by the Internet and by social networks. The term "Arab Spring" met with some objections, and many participants preferred the expression "Arab season", as used by President Jorge Sampaio, a season that commenced in the early winter and seemed to be bearing fruit in mid-autumn; - nonetheless there is no single phenomenon affecting the Arab world in a uniform manner, since each country is different and the situations vary greatly: in Tunisia the revolution has overthrown not just a dictator but an entire system; in Egypt the army, a key political force for the last sixty years, has so far continued to play an essential role in the transition, while confirming its intention to cede power to an elected civilian authority; in Morocco the reform process initiated by King Mohammed VI on acceding to the throne has been speeded up since March 2011; in Libya a civil war has cost a tyrant his power - and even his life - thanks in part to international military action; in Syria the popular uprising, albeit non-violent, has been ruthlessly repressed; 3 - although future developments are hard to predict, it is clear that the "Arab season" of 2011 will lastingly constitute a major historical event, like the fall of the Berlin wall or the decolonisation wave after the 2nd World War. There will be a "before" and an "after" this event, and, as Deborah Bergamini, the Chair of the North-South Centre, said, a new paradigm is emerging in international relations. Far-reaching changes are taking place not only in the societies of the countries concerned, but also regarding the potential for co- operation between these countries and the rest of the world (with Europe having a special role to play on account of its geographical and cultural proximity and the intensity of its economic and human exchanges with these countries); - the multi-facetted events that have taken place in the Arab world constitute not just a political but a social revolution (to cite Bernardino Leon). Although each era is unique and must be linked to its historical context, there are similarities with the democratic changes in southern Europe in the 1970s, in Latin America in the 1980s and in central and eastern Europe in the 1990s, which could serve as sources of inspiration but not as models. As Miguel-Angel Martinez has said "In the democratisation process we are all juniors, and those who claim to be veterans do not look themselves in the mirror". In these circumstances the main international players' capacities to react and to adapt have been severely put to the test. The United Nations has permitted international action in Libya, founded on its duty to protect the people, but it has not succeeded in adopting a position on Syria. The League of Arab States has been very active, supporting the peoples' aspirations to change their countries and, very recently, bringing its full weight to bear in an attempt to calm the situation in Syria. The European Union, although confronted with severe internal difficulties, has offered the countries concerned a "partnership for democracy and shared prosperity" and radically revised its neighbourhood policy. The UN Alliance of Civilizations adopted a regional strategy for the Mediterranean even before the Arab revolts began to unfold. The Council of Europe itself is in the process of devising its own "neighbourhood policy" whereby it could enable interested countries to benefit (on the basis of clearly expressed requests) not only from its expert assistance in matters of democracy, human rights and the rule of law but also from its experience of accompanying democratic reforms in central and eastern Europe, an experience amassed since the Berlin wall came down. The Arab uprisings are bringing about a profound change in the image people in Europe have of the Arab countries and the Muslim world in general. This constitutes a historic opportunity for genuine interaction between Europe and the Arab-Muslim world founded on a partnership of equals. We are being offered a unique chance to revitalise our relations through promotion of the three principles of knowledge, understanding and co-operation. It we seize this chance, Europe and the countries on the southern rim of the Mediterranean can envisage their shared future with confidence, as was pointed out by Youssef Amrani, the Secretary General of the Union for the Mediterranean. The role of Islam in societies to the south and east of the Mediterranean remains a key issue. Here a distinction must be drawn between Islam as a religion and Islam as a political project, or even an ideology. The Muslim religion is not incompatible with democracy or secularism, as can be seen from Turkey's example. In the Arab countries the transformation of religious movements into political parties could constitute an advantage rather than a threat, as it leads to the establishment of a pluralism of opinions in circles hitherto tightly closed: by definition a political 4 party is open to all citizens who share its basic aims and no one should be excluded from it solely on account of his or her religion. The bottom line is respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and there is a need to trust in the democratic choices of the peoples concerned, as was underlined by Khemaies Jhinaoui, Tunisia's State Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Another essential question is the settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The "new political reality" emerging from the Arab revolutions will undoubtedly offer opportunities that must be taken following so many missed opportunities in the past. If a solution can at last be found to this conflict, that will certainly in no way answer all the political, economic and social problems confronting the Arab peoples and countries, but it would be a powerful catalyst to aid the emergence of a new era of confidence and co-operation between Europe and the Arab world, bringing to an end the widespread feeling of frustration and injustice in Arab public opinion ("double standards"). In this connection, the participants called on the European Union to reinforce its action to relaunch the peace process, in co-operation with the League of Arab States, and to supplement its financial assistance with a more resolute political commitment. Reference was also made to the recent efforts to have Palestine recognised as a full member of the international community, and in this context the granting of "partner for democracy" status to the Palestinian National Council by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe was welcomed. The future of the Arab countries is above all in the hands of their peoples: they must be the masters of their own destiny - which is what they desire. At the same time, there is a "duty of assistance", to borrow the term used by Latifa Akharbach, State Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Morocco. The Arab revolutions have provided a historic opportunity to breath new life into regional co-operation, whether within the Maghreb or the League of Arab States.
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