The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 countries that support each other and work together towards shared goals in democracy and development.
The Commonwealth is home to two billion citizens of all faiths and ethnicities and includes some of the world's largest, smallest, richest and poorest countries. Over half of its citizens are 25 or under. Member countries come from six regions: Africa (19); Asia (8); the Americas (3); the Caribbean (10); Europe (3); and the South Pacific (11).
Most recent members include the following: Rwanda – admitted at the 2009 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting; Cameroon; and Mozambique – the first country with no historical or administrative association to the Commonwealth to join.
History
The association has roots as far back as the 1870s. It was reconstituted in 1949 when Commonwealth Prime Ministers met and adopted the ‘London Declaration’ where it was agreed all member countries would be “freely and equally associated.”
Beliefs and Values
The Commonwealth believes the best democracies are achieved through partnerships – of governments, business and civil society.
Beyond the ties of history, language and institutions, members are united through the association’s values of democracy, freedom, peace, the rule of law and opportunity for all.
These values were agreed and set down by all Commonwealth Heads of Government at two of their biennial meetings (known as CHOGMs) in Singapore in 1971 and reaffirmed in Harare in 1991.
The values are protected at government level by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), a rotating group of nine foreign ministers, which assesses the nature of any infringement and recommends measures for collective action from member countries. It can suspend or recommend to Heads of Government that a member country be expelled. When countries are suspended, the Commonwealth makes every effort to bring them back into the fold.
While CMAG represents one aspect of the Commonwealth’s commitment to democratic principles, many more discreet interventions are made through ‘good offices’ work, where specially appointed representatives conduct quiet diplomacy to help prevent or resolve conflicts, and build dialogue and democratic structures.
Meetings
Heads of Government and ministers responsible for education, environment, civil society, finance, foreign affairs, gender affairs, health, law, tourism and youth all meet regularly. This ensures that Commonwealth policies and programmes represent views of members and gives governments a better understanding of each other’s goals.
Structure
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is the Head of the Commonwealth. Kamalesh Sharma, current Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, is the principal global advocate for the Commonwealth and Chief Executive of the Secretariat.
There are three intergovernmental organisations:
• Commonwealth Secretariat - executes plans agreed by Commonwealth Heads of Government through technical assistance, advice and policy development
• Commonwealth Foundation - helps civil society organisations promote democracy, development and cultural understanding
• Commonwealth of Learning - encourages the development and sharing of open learning and distance education
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) is held every two years to enable leaders of Commonwealth countries to come together to discuss global and Commonwealth issues, and to decide on collective policies and initiatives.
This year, CHOGM is taking place in Sri Lanka, the first time an Asian country is hosting the summit in 24 years.Every CHOGM is jointly organized by the host country and the Commonwealth Secretariat. These biennial meetings serve as the principal policy and decision-making forum to guide the strategic direction of the association.
Commonwealth leaders have been coming together for discussions since 1949, but the title “Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting” was adopted during a session in Singapore in 1971. This specific classification was used to depict the gathering of both presidents and prime ministers in the event.
One unique aspect of the meeting is that the formal opening ceremony and the formal Executive Session are followed by a “retreat” where leaders meet privately for discussions. With an informal atmosphere, this session allows heads of state to freely and frankly exchange their views on important issues and come to a consensus.
Previous CHOGMs have focused on a range of global issues, including international peace and security, democracy, climate change, multilateral trade issues, good governance, sustainable development, small states, debt management, education, environment, gender equality, health, human rights, information and communication technology, and youth affairs.
The theme of the 2011 CHOGM in Perth, Australia, was “Building National Resilience, Building Global Resilience.”
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