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    1. Secretary-General’s Envoys

Secretary-General’s Envoys

In the application of his Good Offices role, the Commonwealth Secretary-General sometimes appoints Special Envoys to facilitate dialogue and help mobilise Commonwealth and international support for conflict prevention and resolution in Commonwealth countries, with the concurrence of the governments concerned.

HE General (rtd) Abdulsalami Abubakar

HE General (rtd) Abdulsalami AbubakarGeneral Abdulsalami Abubakar, a former Head of State of Nigeria, was appointed the Special Envoy of Commonwealth Secretary-General to The Gambia in April 2005. General Abubakar has been facilitating dialogue among political parties and the strengthening of the democratic processes and institutions in The Gambia. Before that, he led the Commonwealth Observer Group to the Zimbabwean Presidential Election in 2002. He had a distinguished career in the Nigerian army, and was Chief of Defence Staff from 1993 until his appointment as the military Head of State, and Chairman of the Ruling Provisional Council in 1998. He re-established the democratic tradition in Nigeria with democratic elections in 1999.

Country Profile: The Gambia

Professor Adebayo Adedeji

Professor Adebayo AdedejiProfessor Adebayo Adedeji, from Nigeria, was appointed the Special Envoy of the Commonwealth Secretary-General in March 2004. As a Special Envoy, Professor Adedeji has been facilitating dialogue between political parties and the Constitutional review process in Kenya. Before that, Professor Adedeji chaired the Commonwealth Observer Group for the 2002 Kenyan Presidential and Parliamentary elections. He has served in various capacities, including having been the UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary to the UN Commission for Africa until 1991. He was also Nigeria's Special Envoy to Zimbabwe in 2002 to facilitate reconciliation between political parties in the country.

Country Profile: Kenya

HE Rt Hon Joe Clark

HE Rt Hon Joe ClarkJoe Clark, the 16th Prime Minister of Canada, was appointed the Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Cameroon in 2004. At the request of the Secretary-General, Mr Clark is leading Commonwealth engagement with Cameroon. He led the Commonwealth Observer Group to the 2004 Presidential and Parliamentary elections in Cameroon. As a Minister of External Affairs between 1984 and 1991, Mr Clark was a member of a group of Commonwealth ministers that spearheaded efforts to end apartheid in South Africa.

Country Profile: Cameroon

 

 

Rt Hon Sir Douglas Graham

Rt. Hon Sir Douglas GrahamSir Douglas Graham, a former cabinet minister in New Zealand, was appointed a Special Envoy of the Commonwealth Secretary-General to Tonga in November 2002. Sir Douglas, now retired from politics, represented the National Party in the New Zealand Parliament from 1984 to 1999. He served in various ministerial positions, including as a Minister of Justice and Attorney-General.

 Country Profile: Tonga

 

 

YAB hj Tun Musa Hitam

YAB hj Tun Musa HitamThe Commonwealth Secretary-General appointed Tun Musa Hitam, Malaysia's fifth Deputy Prime Minister (1981-1986), as his Special Envoy to Maldives in March 2005. Tun Musa Hitam's roles in Maldives have included supporting the implementation of the Government's ongoing constitutional and electoral reforms in line with Commonwealth fundamental political values and best practices. He was also Chairman of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, and Malaysia's representative on the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group from 1995 to 1997. He led the Commonwealth Observer Group to the 2002 Presidential, Parliamentary and Provisional Elections in Pakistan. Tun Musa Hitam also served as Chairman of the Malaysian Human Rights Commission from 1999 to 2002.

 Country Profile: Maldives

The Rt Rev Sir Paul Reeves

The Rt Revd Sir Paul ReevesSir Paul Reeves was Archbishop and Primate of New Zealand, and previously Bishop of Auckland. Sir Paul was appointed Governor-General of New Zealand from 1985 to 1990. After his retirement as Governor-General, Sir Paul chaired the Fijian Constitutional Review Commission which produced in 1997 Fiji Islands' current constitution.

Sir Paul was appointed as the Special Envoy of the Commonwealth Secretary-General to Guyana in August 2002.

Country Profile: Guyana

 

Hon Christine Stewart

Hon Christine StewartChristine Stewart, a former Canadian Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs for Africa and Latin America, was appointed a Special Envoy of the Commonwealth Secretary-General to Cameroon from 2002 to 2004. She has undertaken several missions to Cameroon to facilitate dialogue amongst various stakeholders. Ms Stewart also served as Minister of Environment, and was also a Member of the Canadian House of Commons for twelve years.

Country Profile: Cameroon