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.
在华盛顿，拜登政府标志性的意识形态对话正在进行中。 第二届民主峰会将于周三正式开幕，来自大约 120 个国家/地区的代表将在美国以及哥斯达黎加、荷兰、韩国和赞比亚举行面对面和虚拟会议。 它是在 2021 年 12 月举行的第一次此类会议之后举行的，是拜登总统在经历了四年的破坏性、愤怒的特朗普主义之后“恢复”美国在世界舞台上的领导地位这一愿景的重要组成部分。
“正如拜登总统所说，我们必须证明民主仍然有效，并且可以切实改善人们的生活，”国务院的一份新闻稿指出。 “要做到这一点，民主国家必须团结起来——从内部振兴和改善我们开放、尊重权利的社会； 共同抵御专制威胁； 并表明我们可以解决我们这个时代最紧迫的危机。”
但是，私下里，一些美国官员和华盛顿的许多外交政策专家对整个事件不屑一顾。 批评者认为这次活动是一个无关紧要的谈话场所，或者是美国外交政策在世界舞台上前后矛盾的不受欢迎的展示，因为华盛顿在某些情况下为人权而战，而在其他情况下却视而不见。 参加峰会并不一定会带来任何义务，也没有任何真正的机制可以让参加国遵守围绕其民主制度的某些承诺或标准。
无论如何，拜登政府正在利用这一时刻来解决一系列重大而多样的问题。 周二，在一组初步会议上，美国与其他 20 个国家承诺提高企业透明度标准，提高政府追踪和防止盗贼和独裁者的“脏钱”在其银行系统中被洗白的能力 . 这些会议还宣扬了将发展援助与巩固民主联系起来、支持其他民主国家的有组织劳工、促进女性参与以及防止网络骚扰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.
在过去的一年里，拜登大量倾向于乌克兰战争的叙事，这场战争将基辅刚刚起步的民主与俄罗斯入侵者的暴政相提并论。 在乌克兰首都和华沙一座著名城堡的城墙上，他一再呼吁世界各地的民主国家团结起来，团结力量，与专制统治者和倾向作斗争。 在这次讲话中，他将地缘政治时刻描述为“一个转折点”，美国及其伙伴可以在这个转折点扭转全球民主倒退的严峻时期。
这是否是拜登真正能够实现的目标尚不清楚，但他已经摆好了摊位。 整个企业的怀疑论者担心美国没有充分投入这项努力，并且在其外交政策中半心半意且前后不一致地“以人权为中心”。 他们举出无数例子，从拜登修补与沙特王室的关系，他曾发誓要成为“贱民”，再到美国对突尼斯事实上的反民主政变反应不温不火（当然，北非国家 没有被邀请参加本周的聚会），拥抱印度——世界上最大的民主国家和与中国对抗的理想盟友，但一个由右翼宗教民族主义执政党控制的国家最近驱逐了印度最主要的反对派 来自议会的领袖。
美国出于原则没有邀请土耳其或匈牙利参加本周的峰会，这表明它如何看待这两个国家近年来的民主衰退。 但接下来是以色列的尴尬案例，长期以来被华盛顿誉为中东民主的灯塔，但它一直在全球头条新闻中看到它在匈牙利的道路上蹒跚而行。 以色列总理本雅明内塔尼亚胡本周放弃了一项有争议的努力，以加强对以色列司法机构的政治控制，似乎仍将参加峰会。
“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.”
“内塔尼亚胡已经为拜登的民主峰会录制了一段视频信息，并提交给了华盛顿的美国官员，”一位要求匿名讨论敏感话题的外交官说，“我的同事们报道说。” “拜登政府没有表示计划取消内塔尼亚胡在峰会上的发言机会，尽管以色列的一些自由派支持者表示，在当前情况下为内塔尼亚胡提供一个平台与峰会的使命不符。”
拜登周二对记者说：“和以色列的许多坚定支持者一样，我非常担心。 我担心他们会弄清楚这一点。 他们不能在这条路上继续下去。 我已经说得很清楚了。” 但是拜登有吗？
集会的支持者坚持说总比没有好。 美国德国马歇尔基金会的一个项目“保障民主联盟”的劳拉·桑顿 (Laura Thornton) 认为，虽然极右翼民粹主义者和各种极端民族主义者正在建立全球网络和伙伴关系，但自由民主人士也需要这样做。 “现在是那些相信民主的人以同样的组织水平、热情和相互支持来捍卫自由民主秩序的时候了，”她写道。
美国前外交官汤姆·马林诺夫斯基 (Tom Malinowski) 表示：“虽然没有暗示这场斗争已经获胜，或者拜登所做的一切都是正确的，但我认为我们需要赞扬他帮助拯救美国民主和对抗强大的威权主义力量。” 来自新泽西州的民主党国会议员告诉纽约时报。
其他人则对拜登促进民主的言论缺乏真正的牙齿感到遗憾。 杜鲁门国家政策中心的 Jon Temin 写道：“他们可以支持民主活动家并加强民间社会组织，但他们不能让独裁者为恶意行为付出代价。” “因此，拜登政府对民主的支持有很多计划性的胡萝卜，但政策大棒却很少。 这不是成功的公式，因为独裁者和改革者都可以看到华盛顿将投入资源来捍卫民主，但不会利用其影响力或花费政治资本来这样做。”
政策专家也对该项目明显的意识形态特征感到愤怒。 “民主峰会是一个坏主意，[不会] 消失，”外交关系委员会主席理查德哈斯发推文说。 “除了‘邀请谁’这个尴尬的问题之外，美国的民主很难成为其他国家的典范。 此外，我们需要非民主国家在世界上帮助我们，从制裁俄罗斯到减缓气候变化。”
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.
