Binding commitments unlikely to feature in Joe Biden’s democracy summit
The Hindu
Biden administration officials suggested that initiatives around corruption, election integrity and support for new and existing multilateral initiatives will emerge from the talks.
Over 100 countries, civil society actors, Members of Parliaments and the private sector have been invited to U.S. President Joe Biden’s Summit for Democracy on December 9 and December 10. However, it is unclear what, if any, binding commitments participating countries, including India, will announce.
Biden administration officials suggested that initiatives around corruption, election integrity and support for new and existing multilateral initiatives will emerge from the two plus days of talks. Concrete, binding commitments from participants do not, however, appear to be on the cards.
“ …One of the main points of the summit is simply to put this issue [ democracy] on the front burner,” a senior administration official told reporters on a briefing call on Monday. Following the summit, there would be “ a year of consultation, coordination and delivery,” that would result in new initiatives and pledges, the official said.