The Summit for Democracy Day One took place today for five hours (online), hosted by the Biden Administration, with lots of talk about contributing to “democracy resilience,” and concrete announcements about new national and globalist agencies and funds to root out misinformation and corruption. Even the interval orchestral music was triumphalist. The U.S. also announced a raft of more sanctions against nations in Ibero America, Africa, and Asia, tied to alleged misdeeds connected to COVID-19.
Some 80 nations had representation, and also groups, ranging from the U.S. Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the Catholic University of Peru, to Transparency International, the Anti-Corruption Action Center, and the like. Prominently absent and not invited were Russia and China. Pakistan turned down the U.S. invitation.
The Summit was preceded yesterday by Day Zero sessions, including the participation of Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The Summit ends tomorrow with Day Two. The format of the two days is for several hours of short presentations from the nations roster, titled “Interventions,” streamed simultaneously with a number of panels on themes, moderated by guest media celebrities.
President Biden, flanked by Blinken, made a short opening address. Saying that for the last 15 years democracy has been in recession (attributing this evaluation to Freedom House, a group infamous for its subversive operations, and to the International Institute of Democracy and Elections), Biden made some platitudinous remarks, then announced the creation of a “Defamation Defense Fund” to combat disinformation, and a Fund for Democratic Renewal. He said that there will be a “Partnership for Democratic Renewal” through the State Department’s U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). It is notable that USAID Administrator Samantha Power, the infamous axe-wielder former U.S. UN Ambassador, is hosting two of the Summit sessions. She also was very prominent for the U.S. at the COP26 Glasgow meetings, with her axe handy.
Later, Blinken made more announcements. He said that a Global Anti-Corruption Consortium is in formation, to focus on world media. It has funding from Denmark, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the Open Society Foundation. It will expend $10 million by next year’s second Summit for Democracy.
A short video was featured with Biden’s voice-over, denouncing corruption, and lauding individuals who are “champions against corruption.”
