Topic: 2025 – Authoritarianism and Democracy
Country: Sierra Leone
Delegate Name: Meira Gable
Globalization, economic inequality, and inadequate resource distribution have all contributed to a decrease in democratic freedoms across the world. Post-colonial nations in particular struggle to maintain stable democratic governments due to economic instability and ethnic conflict. Often, nations with fragile democracies grapple with corruption resulting from these long term ethnic battles. In many African nations, frequent military coups have repeatedly undermined democratization efforts and many developing countries as a whole face the threat of foreign policy debates leading to proxy wars and the exacerbation of conflict.
Sierra Leone has had its own prolonged history of complicated post-colonial rule. Up until 2002, Sierra Leone underwent frequent military coups and shifts in power that created a sustained environment of distrust in governmental systems. However, over the course of the last 20 years, democratic freedoms and participation have steadily increased. Ethnic divisions between the Temne and Mende people and governmental corruption under previous presidencies have set back the progress slightly, but overall economic reforms and social reforms, like free education and criminalizing sexual violence, have helped move Sierra Leone to its current position. Beyond this, Sierra Leone’s establishment of the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC) has aided in the promotion of free and fair elections with adequate representation from all regions of the country. At the international level, Sierra Leone has repeatedly voiced its support for regional initiatives to promote democracy in the neighboring countries of Guinea, Mali, and Burkina Faso, through a retained commitment to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Promoting democracy does not have a one size fits all solution. For example, within Sierra Leone, a combination of UN Peacekeeping, foreign investment, and regional partnerships have allowed us to establish and maintain democracy over the last 20 years. For the purposes of this committee, it is vital to ensure already developing democracies are not inhibited by overinvolvement of the UN. That being said, development projects and foreign investment and manpower are useful tools that should be at the disposal of developing nations. In the case of Sierra Leone, our call for UN assistance in facilitating democratic elections early on in our development drastically improved the degree to which fair elections are carried out. But, this isn’t true for every nation. In the SPECPOL committee, Sierra Leone would look favorably on a resolution that reinforces the framework for determining UN Peacekeeping involvement and increases funding for projects in developing nations that help with the creation of infrastructure and societal reforms.
The delegation of Sierra Leone looks forward to working with the other delegates of this committee to continue and bolster UN efforts to promote democracy.
Works Cited:
https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/08/1153416
https://unric.org/en/the-role-of-the-united-nations-in-ensuring-free-and-fair-elections/
https://dppa.medium.com/the-role-of-un-electoral-assistance-in-strengthening-democracies-948c218bcdf9
https://africarenewal.un.org/en/magazine/un-security-council-member-sierra-leone-will-promote-peace-security-and-good-governance
