Call for ‘principled’ leadership during time of crisis

Leaders from public, private, and non-profit spheres have called for “a more principled form of leadership” to battle global ills, such as the coronavirus pandemic, in an open declaration published last week.

The document comes from Horasis, an independent think tank based in Zurich, Switzerland, dedicated to promoting the sustainable development of emerging economies.

The declaration addresses the need for leaders to align their values with those of the institution or organisation they represent.

The signatories pledge “to apply ethical standards that reflect shared values”, as well as committing to the following:

1.     Promoting a culture of collaboration within and amongst societies, as well as between the public and private sectors.

2.     Forgoing short-term, personal gains in favor of benefitting humankind and the planet in the long run.

3.     Running our governments and organizations with openness, transparency, honesty, humility, and trust in others.

4.     Championing the rights of all stakeholders, not just those of shared affiliations or mutual interests.

5.     Actively investing in underserved communities to better address global inequality.

Known as the Horasis Declaration, the document was signed by 19 leaders from government, business and civil society, and includes some of those best placed to handle the coronavirus pandemic.

Ernest Koroma, one of the signatories, was president of Sierra Leone during the West African Ebola epidemic between 2013-16, which left over 11,000 people dead.

A number of parallels have been drawn between the Ebola and coronavirus outbreaks, with governments keen to understand how African leaders, like Koroma, dealt with the Ebola epidemic.

Photo: Sajjad Hussain/AFP