ABUJA – Amb. Maria Leissner, the Secretary-General of Community of Democracies (COD), has warned that increased terrorist attacks around the globe posed a major threat to democracy.
Leissner spoke on Friday in Abuja during a courtesy call on the Minister of State 1 for Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri.
She pledged the support of the 101-member group to Nigeria in the fight against terrorism and protection of human dignity of Nigerians.
She said a very important part of democracy was to ensure that “no groups or individuals hijack the state or any part of the state in order to enslave human beings’’.
“Democracy today in the world is under attack from many groups; it is a new kind of attack and it comes from terrorists such as those you have here (Boko Haram). [eap_ad_1] “But it also comes from terrorists all over the world as well and I can mention Syria for example and what is happening in Ukraine.
“The number of attacks on democracy has increased in the past eight to 10 years; it is a relief to visit Nigeria with a stable democracy even though it is not very old.
“We are reassured that we will overcome these obstacles and challenges to freedom and democratic rule,’’ she said.
Leissner’s visit to Abuja is part of ongoing consultations in the run-up to Nigeria’s assumption of the presidency of the group from 2015 to 2017.
The COD chief said the group was “pleased to have Nigeria as a future president’’ considering the country’s huge economic strength and leadership potential in the continent.
In her remarks, Onwuliri said Nigeria would use its tenure as president “to forge a new and stronger direction for the communities of democracies’’.
She said Nigeria had yet to choose a theme for its presidency but added that it believed that the “effectiveness of democratic practices are enhanced when democratic partners work together’’. (NAN)
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