The Congress tackled issues such as solidarity, democracy, biodiversity, climate change, and the future of the Global Greens movement.
The Global Greens also addressed the issue of Bhopal in a workshop, which resulted in a resolution accepted unanimously asking for the full accountability of Dow Chemical for the 1984 gas leak, one of the world’s worst ever industrial catastrophes.
The Green Charter was discussed and amended, including opposition to war crimes and sexualized violence. On the issue of climate change, the Greens push for the adoption of international instruments to curb impacts of air and sea transport on climate.
Solidarity towards world populations under threat as the Tibetans and now the Syrian was unanimous, showing how issues of a democratic society and respect for human rights are central to Green Politics.
*”Africa is becoming an engine for democracy, both sustainable and green. The Arab Spring has been for instance an open call for fundamental changes in politics and society, and an historical opportunity for the entire region. Women have been instrumental in this change: they were in the streets, taking an active role and trying to bring about change to their society”,” said Haidar El Ali, President of FEDES, the Green Party of Senegal.
*”With the recent presidential elections and Macky Sall being elected as the new leader of the country, Senegal has seen the success of democracy, and we are confident it will continue to lead the way with the forthcoming parliamentary elections in June,”* he added.
Juan Behrend, former Secretary General of the European Green Party (EGP) and current member of the Global Greens Coordination was very pleased with the success of the first Congress in Africa: *”When we arrived, there was a clear democratic trend in the country that is changing the face of Senegal. We have adopted resolutions on the future of the Global Greens that will allow us to create better structures and improve the way we work together to advance the Green cause on a global level.”*
Current EGP General Secretary Jacqueline Cremers also appreciated the weekend, and highlighted in particular the female participation as significant, *”Strong women, who dare to stand up and speak out, to engage in politics and enjoy it – to engage with them and understand what makes them tick has been an inspiration and I am determined to do what I can help to advance the new Global Green Women’s Network.”*
Kali Yen of Taiwan Green Party and convener of the Asia Pacific Greens Network described the event as: *”like gathering around an oasis, where we able to talk together as humans about profound issues such as poverty, hunger and sustainability, and what we as Greens can do about it.”*
Venezuelan Green Manuel Diez, recently elected co-president of the Green Federation of the Americas, was also at the Congress, and was delighted to see: *”such as strong environmental policy platform emerge from the Global Greens in advance of the Rio+20 talks in Brazil, in the hopes that we as Greens can contribute to a change in environmental politics.”*
An indication that the Congress is not afraid to listen to other voices is shown with an early comment on the Press Release issued after the conference close. Fatima Alaoui: *“The Arab spring has become winter for the women of Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Libya and of the Middle East. Women’s struggle has been highjacked as the other struggles for social justice and democracy in our region We need equal rights and gender balance between men and women leaders of political parties. We need ecological politics, we, as Greens have promoted in Canberra, 2001.”*
