Sunnylands Initiative
Odawara Statement
August 2, 2022
The members of the Sunnylands Initiative on Enhancing Democratic Partnership inthe Indo-Pacific, a partnership of thought leaders from Australia, Japan, India,Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Taiwan, and the UnitedStates, met in Odawara, Japan, on August 1-2, 2022, to translate vision intoaction. This second convening of the Sunnylands Initiative, held during a critical
moment for democracy, reaffirmed the principles1 and commitments articulated
during the inaugural meeting held in January 2020 to advance a shared vision forcooperation among Indo-Pacific nations and peoples, and to strengthen
democratic governance, practices, and norms across the region.
In the absence of a regional architecture to defend and bolster civil liberties andthe rules-based order in Asia, we aim to serve as a regional platform wheredemocratic stakeholders from policymakers to academics and civil society leaders
can debate and develop strategies to support democratic development in theregion. We also aim to foster solidarity among actors working in common cause,
anchored in the understanding that democracy is the best guarantor for security,
peace and prosperity.
Since we last met, democracy has come under assault in the Indo-Pacific region,
from Hong Kong to Burma to Afghanistan, while Russia’s full-scale invasion of
Ukraine threatens peace across Europe and beyond. Against the backdrop of
Covid-19 and the concomitant deleterious economic, political and health effects,
resurgent authoritarianism, illiberal domestic political forces, social and economic
inequality, environmental disaster, and rampant corruption fuel the democratic
decline. Even established democracies face serious threats, including
disinformation, political polarization, illiberal populism, and a lack in confidence inelite governing structures. Moreover, Taiwan faces constant and immediate
threats to its vibrant democracy.

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https://www.csis.org/analysis/sunnylands-principles-enhancing-democratic-partnership-indo-pacific-region

In the face of these challenges, citizens around the world continue to aspire andstruggle for freedom and fundamental rights, and demand their societies to be
more open, transparent, accountable, and inclusive. Democrats continue to carryon their advocacy and struggle, working to ensure their movements remain
focused, relevant, and effective.
For democracy to thrive in the face of manifold challenges, it must demonstratethat it can deliver tangible benefits better than the alternative systems.
Democracy is more than just an election process; it is the only system ofgovernance that protects the principles enshrined in the UN Charter and theUniversal Declaration of Human Rights. By respecting civil liberties and the rule oflaw, democracies are better positioned to provide equitable access to health,education and economic development, and ensure accountability. Effective
checks and balances on political leaders ensure their mistakes can be corrected,and considerably deter aggression and war.
For democracy to deliver, it requires a whole-of-society approach that rests on
the participation of diverse stakeholders, including independent media, business,labor, academia, civil society, women, youth, minorities, politicians, religiousorganizations, local government, and the broader public.
Despite recent challenges, the Indo-Pacific region, home to strong, dynamic anddiverse democracies in each of the subregions, has made remarkable politicalstrides. The Sunnylands Initiative celebrates this impressive progress and will
work to strengthen a regional commitment to democratic development.
The Sunnylands Initiative envisions its role as a facilitator and convenor of
discussions on the shared norms and values that define democratic societies,
ways in which democracy can deliver, and the crafting of regional partnershipsthat can uphold the rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region.
To this end, democratic countries in the Indo-Pacific must engage in democracy
support, confident in the conviction of our shared values and ideals while
recognizing that democracy is a work in progress by definition. Democracy
support cannot flourish as a government to government initiative alone, rather,civil society must engage stakeholders in a context-specific, bottom-up approachthat reflects the will of citizens. Civil society organizations, local politicians,independent media, think tanks and other non-governmental actors have an
important role to play in international cooperation through identifying andsharing strategies for defending human rights, combatting disinformation,
exposing corrupt money in politics, and supporting free and independent media.
By cultivating networks of stakeholders and supporting the development of
mechanisms of support for democratic governance, practitioners in the IndoPacific can move from aspiration to solidarity to action.
To facilitate the adoption of these recommendations, the Sunnylands Initiative
will organize a dialogue series with key government and nongovernmental
stakeholders to strengthen understanding and the application of shareddemocratic principles in policymaking and democratization support at a nationaland regional level.
We will work to amplify the principles articulated in the Sunnylands Statement of
Shared Democratic Principles through partnership with multilateral frameworks,
regional platforms and networks, and policy influencers.
We will facilitate collaborative initiatives and networks among democratic
stakeholders to promote shared norms and values, including the creation of aregional democratic architecture.
We will encourage support for independent media and civil society organizations,
including the possibility of establishing new mechanisms. We urge stronger
leadership by regional democracies.
We will look to address the urgent needs of displaced activists across the region
by strengthening regional initiatives to provide refuge, fellowships, andoperational and programmatic support.
We urge governments in the region to prioritize their support to democratic
governance and norms in their foreign policy, development cooperation, andnational security strategies.