Commonwealth Foreign Ministers meet at the United Nations in New York

Issues of good governance, climate change and the particular vulnerabilities of small states dominated discussions at the sixth annual Commonwealth Foreign Ministers Meeting held in the wings of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday 28 September 2007.

Ministers from 52 member states also received updates on the implementation of key mandates of the 2005 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) - on commonwealth membership, bridging the digital divide, promoting respect and understanding in communities and enhancing Commonwealth economic cooperation. They were also briefed on preparations for November's CHOGM in Kampala, Uganda.

Secretary-General Don McKinnon briefed ministers on the Commonwealth's discreet Good Offices work, designed to promote political stability and good governance in the concerned member states. He also informed them of activities to support democracy, including election observation.

In his briefing, Mr McKinnon highlighted the Commonwealth's peace building role in Sierra Leone, which recently held successful elections observed by the Commonwealth.

The Secretary-General also drew attention to political situations in the Fiji Islands and in Pakistan. Both countries were on the agenda for the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group meeting on 29 September 2007.

International trade negotiations, economic partnership agreements and climate change were discussed. Ministers expressed concern at the impasse reached in the Doha Round of trade negotiations, and reiterated their hope that the Round would conclude successfully, with a clear development dividend. Mr McKinnon pointed out that the Secretariat continued to support developing country members in ways that strengthened their ability to participate effectively in the World Trade Organisation and regional negotiations.

Mr McKinnon noted that Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations with the European Union (EU) had reached a critical stage and the Commonwealth was aware that the concerns of Asian, Caribbean and Pacific member countries had yet to be fully addressed.

Climate change had been on the Commonwealth agenda since 1989, the Secretary-General told Ministers. The Commonwealth had been one of the first international multilateral organisations to discuss climate change and this had been raised in leaders' discussions at every CHOGM since. Mr McKinnon added that the Commonwealth expected to work towards a statement on climate change in Kampala, with the aim of building consensus for international cooperation and action on this critical issue. Several Ministers stressed that climate change did not only have an environmental impact, but had important social, economic and political dimensions, too. Small island developing states were particularly vulnerable.

The special needs of small states continued to be a high priority for the Secretariat, Mr McKinnon said. These countries faced the unique challenges of remoteness and insularity, susceptibility to natural disasters, limited institutional capacity, limited diversification and a high degree of openness. Recent pressing concerns include a rapid rise in debt burdens, increased environmental susceptibility and a faster than anticipated preference erosion for traditional exports.

Sam Kutesa, the Foreign Minister of Uganda, updated Ministers on the current state of preparations for CHOGM. He assured colleagues his country was ready to host the biennial meeting, which takes place from 23 to 25 November 2007.

The meeting was chaired by Michael Frendo, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malta. Foreign Ministers will meet again in Kampala on 21 November, on the eve of CHOGM.

Key Links:

• Small States
• Sustainability