FAQs

Q.What is the Commonwealth?
Q.What does CHOGM stand for?
Q.What are the principal bodies of the association?
Q.What are the membership requirements?
Q.Under what criteria was Mozambique, a former Portuguese colony, admitted as a member?
Q.How do member countries benefit from joining the Commonwealth?
Q.What role does the Monarch of Britain, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, have in the Commonwealth?
Q.How is the Secretariat Funded?
Q.Are there fixed amounts member countries have to pay?
Q.Does the Commonwealth have any links with the United Nations?
Q.What is the relationship between the Commonwealth and La Francophonie?

Q. What is the Commonwealth?

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 53 independent sovereign states consulting and co-operating in the common interests of their peoples and in the promotion of international understanding and world peace.

The association has no constitution or charter, but members commit themselves to the statements of beliefs set out by Heads of Government. The basis of these is the Declaration of Commonwealth Principles, agreed at Singapore in 1971, and reaffirmed in the Harare Declaration of 1991. The fundamental political values underpinning the Commonwealth include democracy and good governance, respect for human rights and gender equality, the rule of law, and sustainable economic and social development.

Q. What does CHOGM stand for?

CHOGM stands for Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

Q. What are the principal bodies of the association?

The main inter-governmental organisation is the Commonwealth Secretariat. Other inter-governmental organisations are the Commonwealth Foundation and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL).

The main body is the Commonwealth Secretariat, the association's executive arm, which promotes consultation and co-operation in various fields and carries out a lot of its developmental programmes through the CFTC.

The Foundation, in London, links the non-governmental bodies and organisations, collectively known as 'the unofficial Commonwealth', and the COL in Vancouver, Canada, oversees distance learning.

Q. What are the membership requirements?

All of the member states, except for Mozambique, have experienced direct or indirect British rule, or have been linked administratively to another Commonwealth country. At the 1997 summit in Edinburgh, Heads of Government considered the criteria for Commonwealth membership and agreed that in order to become a member of the Commonwealth, an applicant country should, as a rule, have had a constitutional association with an existing Commonwealth member state; that it should comply with Commonwealth values, principles and priorities as set out in the Harare Declaration; and that it should accept Commonwealth norms and conventions.

Q. Under what criteria was Mozambique, a former Portuguese colony, admitted as a member?

Mozambique was admitted in 1995 as a unique case because of its close relationship with the Commonwealth since its independence in 1975, and the association's recognition that during that period, despite a heavy cost to its own economy, Mozambique had supported the Commonwealth's stand against white minority rule in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and South Africa.

Q. How do member countries benefit from joining the Commonwealth?

The Commonwealth is a powerful voice in international forums. Among other things members become part of a respected body that provides them with developmental support and collaboration towards the achievement of international goals. The fact that it is a 'family' of nations which have a common heritage in many fields, including a common language, enables them to work together in an atmosphere of co-operation and understanding. Commonwealth governments also learn from each other through their regular meetings at all levels. Apart from the summits there are many ministerial meetings as well as those of senior officials. Also, and most important since almost all the members are developing countries, through the CFTC the skills and training facilities of members benefit the needier countries.

Q. What role does the Monarch of Britain, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, have in the Commonwealth?

HM Queen Elizabeth II is the Head of the Commonwealth and is recognised as the 'symbol of their free association' by members of the association. Among other things, Her Majesty attends the biennial Commonwealth summits or CHOGMs and the Commonwealth Games which are held every four years. At the Edinburgh summit in 1997, for the first time, she addressed the opening ceremony. On every Commonwealth Day a special message from the Queen is broadcast in all member countries.

Q. How is the Secretariat Funded?

The Secretariat and its activities are supported by an assessed budget and two specialised funds. The assessed budget, to which all full members are obliged to members contribute, covers the Secretariat's core functions, such as organisation of Commonwealth summits, ministerial meetings, and promotion of consultations on political, economic and social matters. Governments make voluntary contributions to the two specialised funds, the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation and the Commonwealth Youth Programme.

Q. Are there fixed amounts member countries have to pay?

Governments contribute to the funding of the Secretariat's assessed budget according to an agreed scale based on Gross National Product and population size. Each year a proposed budget for the Secretariat is agreed by a Finance Committee composed of Commonwealth High Commissioners in London and a representative of the UK Government.

Q. Does the Commonwealth have any links with the United Nations?

All Commonwealth members also belong to the UN and the Secretariat has observer status at the UN General Assembly. The association strongly supports the work of the UN and this is listed as one of the Harare Principles.

The Commonwealth funds and administers a joint office at the UN for nine small Commonwealth member states.

Q. What is the relationship between the Commonwealth and La Francophonie?

The relationship between the Commonwealth and La Francophonie, the group of French-speaking nations, is a collaborative one. In March 1998 a joint Commonwealth-La Francophonie Group observed the Presidential and National Assembly elections in Seychelles at the invitation of the government of that country.

FAQs

Latest News