Mancham invited to join prestigious ‘Club de Madrid’
28.10.2013
Founding President of the Republic of Seychelles Sir James Mancham has accepted an invitation of the prestigious ‘Club de Madrid’ to become a member of the organisation and to take part in the next general assembly and annual conference which is to be held from December 7-9 at Coolum resort, close to the city of Brisbane, Australia.
‘Club de Madrid’ is a world leadership alliance comprising 92 former democratic heads of State and government.
In a letter dated Madrid October 15, 2013 to President Mancham, the President of the club - a former Prime Minister of The Netherlands, Wim Kok, states: “Members of the club unanimously agree that your own intense experiences in politics and government would greatly enrich our organisation and constitute an enormous contribution to the strengthening of democracy and democratic values worldwide. In this sense we will be honoured if you were to join us in Australia and become part of the organisation.”
After ten years of advocacy for a ‘democracy that delivers’, the ‘Club de Madrid’ has become the world’s largest forum of former presidents and prime ministers committed to share their experience in government and overcome the challenges of leading and decision-making in contemporary politics worldwide.
Up to now the ‘Club de Madrid’ has addressed a wide range of issues of global concern such as climate change and sustainable development, social cohesion, democracy and terrorism, the role of women in peace and security, as well as the subject of global governance. The Club de Madrid’s headquarters is in Madrid, Spain and run by its secretary general Carlos Westendorp who is the former Minister for Foreign Affairs under the government of Philip Gonzales of Spain.
Among those actively involved with the affairs of the Club de Madrid at this time is William J. Clinton, former President of the USA; Jennifer Mary Shipley, former Prime Minister of New Zealand; Oscar Arias, nobel peace prize winner and former President of Colombia; Jose Maria Aznar, former Prime Minister of Spain; Carl Biltd, former Prime Minister of Sweden; Joaquim Chissano, former President of Mozambique; Jean Chretien, former Prime Minister of Canada; Vincente Fox, former President of Mexico; Yasou Fukuda, former Prime Minister of Japan; Amine Gemayel, former President of Lebanon; Mikhail Gorbachev, former President of the Soviet Union; Helmut Kohl, former chancellor of Germany; John Kufuor, former President of Ghana; Thabo Mbeki - former President of South Africa; Benjamin Mkapa, former President of Tanzania; Romano Prodi, former Prime Minister of Italy; Fidel V. Ramos, former President of Philippines; Mary Robinson, former Prime Minister of Ireland and Mario Soares, former President of Portugal. The four honorary members of the ‘Club de Madrid’ are Kofi Annan, former secretary general of the UN; Jimmy Carter, former President of the USA; Aung San Suu Kyi, opposition leader of Burma and Jacques Delors, former President of the European Commission.
In a statement yesterday morning founding President Mancham said that the invitation to join this prestigious organisation must be considered as a tribute to the people of Seychelles particularly those who believe in democracy and the promotion of democratic values.
Mr Mancham said he was looking forward to actively take part and contribute towards the noble objectives of the body which, he said, must remain committed to global peace and to a more equitable world order.