Former UN chief links democracy, human rights

UN chief Boutros Boutros Ghali stressed here Wednesday the significance of the close relationship between democracy and defence of human rights.

Ghali was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the 4th Seminar of Arab National Institutions on Human Rights, which kicked off here earlier Tuesday under the title “Human Rights and Development: Role of Arab National Institutions on Human Rights”.
He hailed such meetings as an opportunity to bolster and strengthen human rights in Arab countries, thus shoring up democracy in the entire Arab world.

He believed that most people had not yet realized the repercussions of globalization on international relations and, thence, democracy and human rights.

But, he predicted that such international problems as terrorism, diseases and environmental pollution would be resolved at the world level in the coming few years.
The Arab region is currently witnessing a major activity in the field of human rights thanks to relevant achievements over the recent period, the former UN secretary-general said.

The Arab endorsement of the Arab Charter of Human Rights in 2004 reflected the will of Arab countries to ensure and develop human rights in a context that could disseminate and fan the spirit of benevolence, opening-up and accepting others, Ghali added.

Concerning the Algiers human rights meeting, he stressed its importance to swift developments in the Arab region in economic, social, political and cultural fields.

Kuwait News