The Democrat Union of Africa (DUA), representing both ruling and opposition parties with centre and centre right policies, gathered from 14 – 15 March 2009 at the Hotel Avenida, Maputo, Mozambique for the DUA Women Leaders’ Conference;

Having received and discussed country reports from individual member political parties on the status of the respective parties and democracy in their nations; We unanimously agreed to issue the following statement in support of our sisters in Cote D’Ivoire:

1. The issue of identification of voters in Cote D’Ivoire needs to be speeded up and any difficulties in the system must be removed as a priority. This issue must not be used as an excuse to delay the democratic process

2. The people need to be given the opportunity to participate in a democratic election and to choose their elected leaders

3. We have learnt from our experiences in other African countries that delays in the democratic process can be costly both socially and economically. La Cote D’Ivoire must avoid this.

Issued this day of 15 March 2009

PDCI – RDA OF COTE D’IVOIRE

NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY OF GHANA

DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF KENYA

BASOTHO NATIONAL PARTY OF LESOTHO

UNITY PARTY OF LIBERIA

RENAMO OF MOZAMBIQUE

DTA OF NAMIBIA

DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF SEYCHELLES

CHADEMA OF TANZANIA

DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF UGANDA

FORUM FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE OF UGANDA