During the "Year of Action" following the first Summit for Democracy in December 2021, the United States and over 100 partner governments around the world have taken meaningful steps to build more resilient democracies, combat corruption, and defend human rights. Summit participants have undertaken important pro-democracy reforms at home, contributed to impactful multilateral initiatives, and worked together to resist authoritarian aggression, including Russia's unprovoked and unjustified war against Ukraine.
President Biden is pleased to announce that on March 29-30, 2023, he will co-host the second Summit for Democracy with the leaders of Costa Rica, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea, and the Republic of Zambia. This diverse group of co-hosts underscores the universal desire for accountable, transparent, and rights-respecting governance.
At this second Summit, world leaders will showcase progress made on their commitments to build more resilient democracies; announce new commitments and initiatives to build on that momentum; reaffirm the central role of democratic institutions in delivering prosperity and safeguarding liberty; and underscore the effectiveness of collective action in tackling the most pressing challenges of our time.
At the first Summit for Democracy, participating governments announced nearly 750 commitments aimed at strengthening and safeguarding democracy at home and abroad. During the Year of Action, Summit participants have supported one another in fulfilling these goals, including through government-to-government consultations and participation in multi-stakeholder Democracy Cohorts focused on topics including technology, media freedom, countering disinformation, youth engagement, financial transparency and integrity, and gender equality and women's political participation, among others.
At home, the Biden-Harris Administration continues to demonstrate that democracy can still deliver, and helps improve people's lives and address the greatest challenges before us. Working together with Congress, President Biden has signed into law transformative legislation that will grow the American economy and create more well-paying jobs for American workers, invest in infrastructure, reduce gun violence, improve access to health care, and protect our climate.
Select achievements during the Year of Action aligned to the five pillars of the Summit for Democracy's Presidential Initiative for Democracy Renewal include:
Supporting Free and Independent Media
Together with partners, the U.S. Government's investments in press freedom and independent media are intended to maintain journalists' ability to inform the public and to improve citizens' capacity to hold their governments accountable. Our efforts in the Year of Action have supported the development, sustainability, and independence of public interest media, and helped protect journalists physically, digitally, and legally. For example:
- Bolstering Independent Media. Through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. Government has invested $20 million in the International Fund for Public Interest Media (IFPIM), a multi-donor fund to support independent media in low- and middle-income countries. Our investment, combined with support from a growing list of governments, private companies, and foundations, has helped launch the first round of awards, which garnered applications from more than 200 media organizations from 17 countries around the world. Additionally, through USAID's Media Viability Accelerator, we are supporting the creation of a data platform that will: 1) enable media outlets to better understand the markets, audiences, and strategies that will maximize their odds of profitability; and 2) provide donors with market data and financial strategies to ensure their support to media is sustainable. In September, the United States joined the International Partnership for Information and Democracy, which promotes democratic principles in the global information and communications space.
