Why does democracy matter for natural resources management?
“Democracy is key for inclusive natural resources management,” says Yves Leterme, secretary-general of Stockholm-based intergovernmental organization International IDEA. “Look at the examples of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Botswana. Both rank among the most natural resources-rich countries in Africa, but it is the level of democratic governance that makes the difference between the two in terms of human development.”
Indeed, Botswana is a success story. Having ranked among the poorest places on the continent just over five decades ago, the country has transformed into an upper-middle-income economy. Invited to assume International IDEA’s rotational chairmanship in 2014 and co-host this year’s Annual Democracy Forum in the capital Gaborone, the country was also presented with a unique opportunity to share its experiences with a multitude of other country representatives, civil society actors and global development professionals.
About the author
Sibylle Koenig
Sibylle Koenig is a development consultant and policy adviser with 10 years of experience in managing, monitoring and evaluating international aid programs and grant schemes, as well as advocacy. She has worked for a variety of organizations, including the European Commission, U.N. and bilateral aid agencies and NGOs in Latin America (4 years) and Europe, with extensive work travel to Africa (Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, Kenya, Botswana) and Asia (Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, India, South Korea).
