Deputy Secretary-General examines development of laws in the Commonwealth

At the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple in central London, UK, on 23 February 2009, Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba addressed a packed audience of law lords and other dignitaries and students.

She spoke about the process of how the Commonwealth has developed, which has always been firmly rooted in respect for the rule of law.

“Commonwealth countries have enjoyed a wide degree of latitude in developing their laws in accordance with their constitutions and the fundamental principles of their legal systems,” she explained.

Mrs Masire-Mwamba added that the process has been democratic in that “developments have been carried out in accordance with the underlying political values of the Commonwealth, of which respect for the rule of law and the separation of powers form an integral part.”

Sir George Newman, the Master Treasurer of the Honourable Society, chaired the lecture. The Rt Hon the Lord Mance, Lord of Appeal in Ordinary, and John Almeida, a Commonwealth and international law specialist, were also on the panel.

“The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple plays a key role in providing educational training for barristers and instilling sound professional and ethical values,” noted Dr Aldo Zammit Borda, Legal Editor at the Commonwealth Secretariat. “This lecture demonstrates the Secretariat’s continuing commitment to engage with the legal profession through legal associations and bodies.”

Download the speech

Key Links:

• Law