Federal Government, yesterday, lauded the MacArthur Foundation for its significant contributions to Nigeria’s development and democracy over the past three decades.

Speaking at a forum commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the MacArthur Foundation in Abuja, Vice President Kashim Shettima emphasised the importance of collaboration in governance. He said, “No government can or should, function in isolation. The success of every democracy lies in accepting and nurturing partnerships.”

According to the Vice President, after 30 years of watching its interventions, it is clear that the Foundation has “demonstrated the importance of collaboration, the value of partnership, and the cost of conflict in service delivery.

The commendation came as the Ford Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Luminate and Open Society Foundation launched a $20 million West Africa Democracy Fund (WADF) to renew and strengthen democracy across the region.

The fund, targeted at supporting West African states facing various democratic challenges, will, for three years, support activities to increase citizens’ engagement with democratic and political transitions in the respective countries.

President of Ford Foundation, Darren Walker, stated: “I am grateful for the collaboration of our philanthropic, civil society, and government partners, as we launch the West Africa Democracy Fund, which follows the lead of the people of West Africa as they work to strengthen the foundations of democracy and build a more resilient future.”

“Research has shown the inextricable link between the rising decline of democracy across West Africa and rising inequality, therefore these issues must be addressed simultaneously. Greater citizen participation in democratic processes is needed to fully realize a peaceful, inclusive democracy that empowers citizens to build a society that is more just, and that contributes to greater prosperity and stable economy.”

Managing Director of Programmes at the Open Society Foundations, Brian Kagoro, stated: “Democracy in West Africa is an ideal embedded in the traditions and cultures of the people. It is an aspiration ingrained in the vision of the young people. The fight for a more democratic West Africa is a fight for a West Africa that is free from imperial domination, neo-colonial political mortgaging, and external manipulation. True democracy in West Africa requires governments that are accountable to their citizens and systems that deliver equitable outcomes for all.”

According to the Regional Director of Ford Foundation Office of West Africa (OWA), Dr ChiChi Aniagolu-Okoye, it is important to emphasise that the West Africa Democracy Fund is the result of deep engagement and listening across the region with local leaders and Civil Society Organisations.

“Therefore, the solutions we seek through this Fund will be homegrown, rooted in the needs and aspirations of the people of the sub-region and driven by the people themselves” she said.