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The Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration will Friday, May 24 hold the first in a series of Roundtable discussions to interrogate issues pertaining to Ghana and Africa�s development within the context of selected legal instruments of the African Union. The forum which kicks off at 9am at the IDEG Auditorium, East Legon, is under the theme "Ghana's Democratization Process So Far: The African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance in Focus". The Charter, among other commitments, enjoins member states to promote the universal values and principles of democracy and good governance including: human rights and the right to development; as well as promote and strengthen good governance through the institutionalization of transparency, accountability and participation. The Roundtable Panel comprising Ms. Lauretta Vivian Lamptey [Commissioner, CHRAJ); Dr. Vladmir Antwi-Danso (Senior Fellow, LECIAD) and Mr. Fredrick Alipui (Former Director, Trade and Industry, African Union Commission) will interrogate among others, to what extent these essential elements of democracy enunciated in the Charter have been upheld in Ghana and how far Ghana has implemented the ACDEG mandate after ratifying the legal instrument in September 2010. Representatives of Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Government of Ghana, development partners, private sector, academia, civil society organizations and the media are expected to attend. A statement issued by IDEG noted that Saturday, May 25, 2013 marks 50 years of the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and by extension the African Union (AU). The OAU, established in 1963 and consisting of African countries which had achieved their independence through nationalist struggles driven by Pan Africanism, pooled resources together to resist the remaining colonial powers on the Continent. The OAU, therefore, became the living instrument of Governments, on behalf of their peoples, to liberate remaining African countries and thereafter maintained the collective independence of Africa as a united force. The OAU sought to forge continental, political, economic and socio-cultural unity for the benefit of all Africans. Pan Africanism, hence, became the ideology that drove the OAU. Having achieved measurable goals, the OAU then proceeded to redefine its mission to make it more effective in addressing Africa's real economic, political and social problems, through promoting greater cooperation and unity among the 54 independent nation-states of Africa, resulting in the birth of the African Union (AU) in 2001. As Africa commemorates the golden jubilee of the OAU/AU, the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration will be holding a series of Roundtable discussions, in the year, to interrogate issues pertaining to the development of Ghana and indeed the African continent within the context of selected legal instruments of the African Union.