October 1966: Arnold Smith’s first official visit to Commonwealth Asia

Beginning in India, the Secretary General gave due acknowledgement to Jawaharlal Nehru as the creator of the modern Commonwealth.[1] Taking five weeks to tour the region, he visited Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Singapore, where his memoires record he was deeply impressed with the rate of economic development as well as the energy and determination with which all four countries were pursuing their programmes for development.[2]

However with the Secretariat still very much in its infancy in 1966, it was Smith’s role to try and impress on members that here was an institution which was able to match that energy and determination. Smith strongly believed that the Secretariat’s economists should help shape polices on commodities rather than just analyse them, and in the context of Asia the focus should be on export market development. Additionally through the formulation of its new International Division, the Secretariat was now able to give much sharper focus to “facilitating and promoting consultation on matters of common concern”.

Papers held in the Secretariat’s Archives also reveal how during this tour, Smith put forward the idea of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ meetings taking place every two years and rotating among Commonwealth capitals.[3] As he stated during the Sri Lankan part of the tour, no single country or city is the centre of the Commonwealth.

For further information on Arnold Smith’s official visits please contact the Library and Archives of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

[1] Smith, A with Sanger, C, Stitches in Time: the Commonwealth in World Politics, London: Andre Deutsch, 1981; 49

[2] Visit to South East Asia, 1966, Oct 1966 – 24 May 1967, PD 1997/020, Commonwealth Secretariat Archives

[3] Visit Asia, 1966, 17 Sep 1966 – 11 May 1967, PD 1997/022, Commonwealth Secretariat Archives