Notable Meetings 1991 - 2007

October 1991,Harare – Heads of Government issued the Harare Commonwealth Declaration, which reaffirmed the fundamental values set forth in the 1971 Declaration of Commonwealth Principles, and committed all member countries to work with renewed vigour, especially in the following areas: protecting and promoting democracy, just and honest government, the rule of law and fundamental human rights; equality for women; universal access to education; sustainable development, poverty alleviation and environmental protection; combating drug trafficking and abuse, and communicable diseases; helping small states; and supporting the UN and other international institutions in the search for peace. The Harare Declaration also pledged continuing action towards ending apartheid and establishing a free, democratic, non-racial and prosperous South Africa. Annexed to the Harare Communiqué was the Ottawa Declaration on Women and Structural Adjustment, which included a seven-point action programme.

October 1993, Limassol – The Limassol Statement on the Uruguay Round affirmed the need for a successful outcome to the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations. Commonwealth leaders despatched a ministerial mission to Tokyo, Washington DC, London, Bonn, Paris, Geneva and Brussels to urge key countries and international organisations to negotiate positively and flexibly to reach agreement.

November 1995, Auckland– South Africa was welcomed back as a member. Mozambique became the association’s 53rd member. Heads of Government agreed the Millbrook Commonwealth Action Programme on the Harare Declaration, designed to fulfil more effectively the democracy and development commitments contained in the Harare Declaration. They established the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group on the Harare Declaration to deal with serious or persistent violations of the Harare principles. Nigeria was suspended from the Commonwealth for a serious violation of those principles.

October 1997, Edinburgh – Commonwealth leaders agreed on a set of economic principles and practical activities to promote trade, investment and sustainable development. Among these was the establishment of a trade and investment access facility. Leaders endorsed a report on criteria for Commonwealth membership. Fiji Islands was welcomed back as a member.

November 1999, Durban – Nigeria was welcomed back to full membership, following democratic elections earlier in the year. The Fancourt Commonwealth Declaration on Globalisation and People-Centred Development was issued. A High-Level Review Group of 10 Heads was set up to review the role of the Commonwealth and how it could respond to the challenges of the new century. The meeting welcomed the interim report of the Commonwealth/World Bank Joint Task Force on Small States, “Small States: Meeting Challenges in the Global Economy”, as a landmark document confirming the special problems and development challenges facing small states. The Rt Hon Don McKinnon, Foreign Minister of New Zealand, was elected as the fourth Secretary-General, taking office on 1 April 2000.

March 2002, Coolum – Commonwealth leaders issued the Coolum Declaration, titled ‘The Commonwealth in the 21st Century: Continuity and Renewal’. They adopted the Report of the High-Level Review Group established in Durban, which set out concrete steps to build a Commonwealth for the 21st century. They issued a CHOGM Statement on Zimbabwe which mandated three Heads of Government to determine appropriate Commonwealth action on Zimbabwe. They welcomed the Report of the Commonwealth Committee on Terrorism and the Plan of Action based on their own Statement on Terrorism of 25 October 2001. They called for the constitution of a high-level expert group to recommend ways of carrying forward the Fancourt Declaration, focusing more specifically on how democracies can best be supported in combating poverty.

December 2003, Abuja – In the Aso Rock Commonwealth Declaration, ‘Development and Democracy: Partnership for Peace and Prosperity’, Heads of Government committed themselves to making democracy work better for pro-poor development, and to an effective, equitable, rules-based multilateral trading system, developed under the auspices of the World Trade Organisation, to support pro-poor development and democracy. Annexed to the Declaration was the Aso Rock Statement on Multilateral Trade, which noted that “a multilateral trading system that is more responsive to the needs of developing countries is particularly important for the Commonwealth.” Heads of Government also issued the CHOGM Statement on Zimbabwe, affirming the Commonwealth’s commitment to encourage and assist in the process of national reconciliation. Zimbabwe withdrew from the Commonwealth.

November 2005, Valletta – In the Malta Declaration on Networking the Commonwealth for Development, Commonwealth leaders reaffirmed their commitment to develop a global partnership for development by making available the benefits of new technologies, particularly information and communication technologies, in partnership with the public and private sectors. In the Valletta Statement on Multilateral Trade, the Heads of Government recognised the contribution of international trade to global prosperity, poverty elimination and sustainable development. They resolved to actively pursue a development-oriented Doha Development Agenda of the World Trade Organisation, including balanced agreements on non-agricultural market access, services, rules, trade facilitation and implementation issues. The Gozo Statement on Vulnerable Small States acknowledged the pressing need for firm, sustained and suitably resourced responses to the challenges and vulnerabilities of small states in the face of global climate change, drug trafficking, illegal migration, the impacts of HIV/AIDS and rising levels of youth unemployment. The leaders noted the efforts of small states in diversifying their economies and pledged their support and assistance. 

November 2007, Kampala ­– Commonwealth leaders issued the Kampala Declaration on Transforming Societies to Achieve Political, Economic and Human Development, reaffirming their commitment to achieve a more equitable society through greater international collaboration and co-operation to attain progress for all citizens. They acknowledged that development rests on the foundations of democratic governance, the rule of law, respect for human rights, gender equality, and peace and security. In the Munyonyo Statement on Respect and Understanding, Heads of Government noted the need to build on and extend existing Commonwealth programmes at national and international levels to build tolerance and understanding of diversity among and within different societies, cultures and communities. The Lake Victoria Commonwealth Climate Change Action Plan recognised the threat to the survival of some Commonwealth countries, particularly small island states. Leaders stressed that climate change can undermine efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. They agreed that measures to tackle the impacts of climate change should support the positive economic and social transformation of societies. In the Kampala Communiqué, leaders agreed on Commonwealth membership criteria which, among other things, requires the applicant country to have a historic constitutional association with an existing Commonwealth member country, and to accept and comply with the fundamental values and principles of the association. Kamalesh Sharma, India’s High Commissioner to the UK, was elected as the fifth Commonwealth Secretary-General, who will serve on 1 April 2008.

June 2008, London – Commonwealth leaders from 11 member countries met at a special meeting at Marlborough House, London, UK, to identify underlying principles and actions that should be taken, as a global priority, to achieve reform of international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and lead to new institutions where necessary. They agreed that these institutions as well as their policies and instruments should be redefined to better serve the needs of all members and the broader global community. The leaders concurred that well designed international institutions have a fundamental role to support all countries to meet their economic, political, humanitarian and security challenges. Through collective co-operation, embodied in international institutions, they noted that the global community will foster the conditions for a fully inclusive and equitable global society. The leaders stressed that the commitment of the world’s major powers to multilateralism and its underlying values remains central to any successful settlement on a new architecture of international institutions in this century. They recognised the strength of multilateral co-operation founded on consensus among countries with diverse backgrounds, interests and cultures. They expressed commitment to reform that will create an effective multilateral system, and that supports a more democratic global society with greater equity and fairness, with the new generation of international organisations reflecting a new co-operative spirit. Commonwealth leaders stated that a new system of environmental governance must be fully integrated with development priorities and concerns, and be responsive to the needs of countries, particularly for the smallest, poorest and most environmentally vulnerable countries. They agreed on the need to develop a financing mechanism that underpins the linkage between development and the environment, and which supports investment in long-term sources of energy and environmental efficiency. Leaders also stated that a comprehensive system of international governance is essential, and collaboration is necessary to meet current and projected environmental efficiency.

September 2008, New York – Commonwealth leaders convened at an extraordinary meeting to discuss progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the role that the Commonwealth can play in achieving these Goals by 2015, and the outcomes of their discussions were carried forward to the UN High Level Event on the MDGs. The leaders discussed continuing Commonwealth efforts to accelerate UN reform, to promote deeper reform in the World Bank and the IMF, to better meet contemporary needs, including enhanced support for small states and developing states, and to promote a new system for global environmental governance. Leaders also considered the impact of high food and associated input prices and the Commonwealth’s role in addressing the challenges and opportunities for increasing global food production. They emphasised the importance of reform efforts being inclusive, so that all states, irrespective of size and strength have the opportunity to participate and contribute to global discussions on the issue. They agreed to pursue reform of the current global arrangements for managing the environment and development.