I was pleased to learn that the Governing Council of the Community of Democracies (CD) unanimously selected Sweden’s Ambassador-at-Large for Democracy, Maria Leissner, as the CD’s first Secretary-General-Designate. Her appointment marks a major step in the Community’s transformation from a forum for democracies to convene, into an operational hub for democracy assistance and promotion. As chair of the CD’s reform working group and a key leader of the intergovernmental coalition’s revitalization over the last two years, Ambassador Leissner has brought together a diverse array of partners to provide concrete support for democracies in transition. I send my deepest congratulations to Ambassador Leissner, and I look forward to working with her as we support emerging democracies and civil society around the world.
