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Civil Society Holds Talks in Preparation for CHOGM

11 August 2005

"Civil society organisations are concerned about economic justice, gender and other issues."

The Commonwealth People's Forum that is taking place in Malta on 21-25 November 2005 will create an opportunity for civil society to discuss and plan the development of  joint strategies for action in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), said Dr Mark Collins, Director of the Commonwealth Foundation, at a Pre-CHOGM Civil Society-Government Consultation on 9 August 2005. It was held at Marlborough House, the headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Foundation in London, UK.

The event, organised by the Royal Commonwealth Society, brought together 20 representatives from London-based civil society groups, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Foundation, as well as the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development.

Dr Collins stated that national consultations among civil society groups have already taken place in 12 Commonwealth countries, to build the momentum for the November 2005 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Malta. These countries include Fiji Islands, Ghana, India, Jamaica, Malta, Nigeria, St Lucia, Samoa, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda and Zambia. The national consultations focused on four key areas of interest -- the MDGs; the World Summit on the Information Society; Africa, including the Commission for Africa report; and small island developing states.

"Civil society organisations are concerned about economic justice, gender and other issues. Through networking, we can build up our solidarity among non-governmental organisations across the Commonwealth to help governments tackle these issues through partnerships," said Dr Collins.

He hoped that the anticipated civil society dialogue with Commonwealth foreign ministers in Malta in November will serve as a channel for engagement with governments, which can help to strengthen the impetus for action on the MDGs. These Goals include poverty eradication, improvements in health and education, and sustainable development.

Dr Collins said the meeting at Marlborough House provided civil society groups with an opportunity to discuss issues of interest and to come up with proposals for greater action in areas where the Commonwealth can make a difference.

The civil society-government consultation enabled a dialogue on issues pertaining to Africa and the MDGs. Participants proposed that more donor support be obtained to promote efforts towards achieving MDGs, with governments allocating more resources targeted at programmes that will help them more effectively attain the Goals. The issue of climate change was also discussed as an important factor in achieving MDGs due to its impact on agriculture and the environment, and the vulnerabilities of small island developing states. Capitalising on the human and financial resources available among the citizens of the Commonwealth was another area of discussion. Participants agreed that the talent and skills of Commonwealth people could be tapped to enhance the capabilities of governments in achieving the MDGs.

 

CNIS - Commonwealth News and Information Service Issue 247, 10 August 2005