NPP hosts IDU meeting in Accra today
International Democratic Union (IDU) will hold its Executive and Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Meeting in Accra from today to Wednesday, June 21, 2017.
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The meeting, which is being held for the first time in Africa, South of the Sahara, is being hosted by the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The NPP, according to Mr Peter Mac Manu, the Vice Chairman of IDU, has been recognised by the union for its ideals and beliefs in liberal democracy, freedom of the individual, and the need for economic growth based on individual initiative and free, competitive enterprise economies.
Under the Presidency of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who himself participated in the Party Leaders Meeting in Seoul, South Korea from 19th to 21st November, 2014, Mr Manu further said the NPP had also been recognised by the union for its active participation in IDU meetings.
What is IDU?
Throwing light on the three-day meeting, Mr Mac Manu, who was the Campaign Manager for the NPP in the 2016 general election and a former National Chairman of the NPP, said the union “is a working association of over 80 Conservative, Democrat and like-minded political parties of the centre and centre right.”
Mr Mac Manu stated that “the NPP welcomes the delegates to the historic city of Accra and looks forward to fruitful deliberations and strengthening of cooperation at all levels with the IDU.”
Formed in 1983, the IDU provides a forum for parties that hold similar beliefs to come together and exchange views on matters of policy and organisational interest so that they could learn from one another, act together, establish contacts and speak with one strong voice to promote democracy and centre-right policies around the globe.
Founder members of the IDU included Britain’s Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher; then US Vice-President George Bush Sr; Paris Mayor and later President of France Jacques Chirac, German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and many other party leaders.
Mission of IDU
On the mission of the IDU, Mr Manu said it consisted of member parties of the Asia Pacific Democrat Union (APDU); the Caribbean Democrat Union (CDU); the Democrat Union of Africa; the European Democrat Union (EDU); the European People’s Party (EPP); the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists (AECR); and the Union of Latin American Parties (UPLA), which have adhered to the IDU Declaration of Principles.
The IDU, Mr Manu indicated, “fosters the common philosophy of its member parties, establishes permanent relations at a bilateral and multilateral level and encourages mutual support.
Mr Manu disclosed that the NPP applied and was admitted in 2007 as a full member of IDU at a party leaders meeting in France and since then “the NPP has not looked back.”
