Washington DC, 30 March 2023 (TDI): President of the United States (US), Joe Biden addressed the second Summit for Democracy on Wednesday, continuing his administration’s commitment to boosting democracy globally.
The Summit for Democracy galvanizes action that translates to concrete progress for people around the world.
That’s how we make democracy deliver for everyone. pic.twitter.com/7BkDZopml8
— President Biden (@POTUS) March 29, 2023
This year’s multi-day summit was co-hosted by Biden, along with leaders from Costa Rica, the Netherlands, South Korea, and Zambia.
The event focused on democracy delivering on global challenges, with the president calling on democracies to continue to stand together amid global challenges. During this virtual summit event, Biden reassured participants that democratic institutions do work.
“When we gathered here in December 2021, the sentiment in too many places around the world was that democracy’s best days were behind us. But this year, we can say there’s a different story to tell,” he said.
Moreover, President Biden emphasized that democracy is hard work and must be protected constantly, adding that the role of the summit is to keep building on progress to avoid heading in the wrong direction again.
Biden announced a coalition of international partners joining the US in regulating the use of commercial spyware. “US taxpayer dollars should not support companies that are willing to sell their products to abet human rights violations,” he said.
Furthermore, the president also announced other initiatives during the summit, including an additional investment of $690 million in new funding over the next two years to the Presidential Initiative for Democratic Renewal.
It was launched at the first summit in 2021. Each host nation focused on a separate “pillar” of democracy during plenary sessions throughout the summit.
It involved supporting free and independent media, combating corruption, bolstering democratic reforms and supporting human rights, advancing technology for democracy, and defending free and fair elections.
Also Read: US to cohost 2nd Summit for Democracy
Apart from that, Ukraine also participated in the summit, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaking during Biden’s plenary session, emphasizing Russia’s efforts to weaken and undermine democracy.
Ahead of Zelenskyy’s remarks, Biden celebrated the “unprecedented unity” among the world’s democracies in support of Ukraine.
He pledged that the US would continue standing in solidarity with the brave Ukrainian people as they defend their democracy against “Russia’s brutal war of aggression.”
The establishment of the summit, led by Biden, was largely seen as a show of force in opposition to autocracies, a broad theme he has reinforced throughout his time in office.
Today, we can say with pride that the democracies of the world are getting stronger, not weaker.
And the autocracies of the world are getting weaker, not stronger. pic.twitter.com/Y5LMCu7JWF
— President Biden (@POTUS) March 29, 2023
For the record, Biden hosted the first Summit for Democracy in 2021, bringing together more than 100 participants. They represented governments, civil society, and private-sector leaders virtually amid continued precautions during the Covid-19 pandemic.
To add more, the 2021 summit was focused on combating corruption, defending against authoritarianism, and promoting human rights.
Biden’s leadership in the event demonstrated the US’s commitment to democracy and its global leadership in promoting democratic values.
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