A Tool for Democracy Could Use Some Help

In 2000, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright formed the Community of Democracies, an organization dedicated to fostering cooperation among democratic nations and promoting democracy worldwide – starting with 10 nations. Former diplomat Robert Hunter details the challenges for the CD, including perceived competition with the UN and some contradictory membership criteria. Hunter points out that the CD shouldn’t just be a “club for the saved.” Given the goal of spreading democracy, he suggests that the CD should be supported by all democratic states in the Northern Hemisphere. Unfortunately, European support, perhaps because of resentment toward the US, is lacking. Hunter argues for a stronger European presence and global effort at the CD’s next meeting, set for 2007 in Mali – “giving tangible support to a poor nation whose pursuit of democracy shows courage, especially in a democracy-starved part of the world.” – YaleGlobal