Ex-Minister appointed global democracy ambassador

Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has been named as one of the Democracy Ambassadors of the International Institute for Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) alongside other prominent individuals.

Ahead of International IDEA's Global State of Democracy publication in November, the former Vice-President of the World Bank's Africa division has been tasked with putting the spotlight on the challenges and developments of democracy.

The other Democracy Ambassadors named by the organisation are: former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan; Executive Director, Perludem-Association for Election and Democracy, Titi Anggraini; former Chilean politician, International IDEA Board of Advisers, Sergio Bitar; Dutch politician, former Member of the European Parliament, Emine Bozkurt; and former President of Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla.

Others are: former Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jan Eliasson; former Australian Foreign Minister, Gareth Evans; former Secretary General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Surin Pitsuwan; former Chief Election Commissioner of India, Dr. S. Y. Quraishi, and former President of Latvia, Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga.

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The Global State of Democracy publication is part of International IDEA's efforts to contribute to the global efforts to support and safeguard democracy.

The official launch of publication will take place on November 15 in Stockholm with additional launches in Geneva, New York, Brussels, Oslo, Cotonou, Lima and New Delhi, among other locations.