Leaders hail Commonwealth’s success in Trinidad and Tobago

World leaders were quick to praise the Commonwealth following the biennial Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, last weekend.

The summit, which saw agreement on a far-reaching climate change declaration as well as the admission of new member Rwanda, was praised by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as providing the “momentum for success” for crunch UN climate talks in Copenhagen later this month.

Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, who attended the summit alongside Ban Ki-moon and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, said: “I will leave Trinidad fully convinced that it will be possible to reach an ambitious agreement in Copenhagen.”

Heads of Government approved key initiatives such as a new Commonwealth web portal and the creation of a network of national election management bodies, and also called on the Commonwealth Secretariat to develop a pioneering new environmental good offices role.

‘Able to meet and face the global challenges’

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown claimed that the agreements reached at CHOGM on a host of issues would help to “influence what happens at the United Nations, the G20 and in every world summit”.

He said: “The rest of the world should know that the Commonwealth stands together and is ready to act in a united way. So I can say to you, 60 years after its birth, this historic family of nations, which is the Commonwealth, is proving its worth.”

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak told reporters that the summit had proved that the Commonwealth remains a relevant institution in global affairs.

He said: “There are many sceptics out there who continue to ask the question whether the Commonwealth is still relevant as an institution. I, for one, came here with an open mind.

"This CHOGM has truly answered that the Commonwealth as an institution is very much relevant because it is still able to meet and face the global challenges," he continued.

An 'uplifting' summit

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd added that some in the past have been too quick to “underestimate the unique nature of the Commonwealth voice”.

The Heads of Government, welcoming the Secretariat’s support for small states through its office in New York, backed the establishment of a new Secretariat office in Geneva. The leaders also called for the creation of an Eminent Persons Group to examine how to further strengthen Commonwealth institutions.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma, speaking ahead of his return to the Commonwealth’s headquarters at Marlborough House, London, UK, said the meeting had been “uplifting in reaffirming the relevance of what we do every day to improve the lives and opportunities of fellow Commonwealth citizens.”

Other highlights:

• Heads urged the Secretary-General to work with Commonwealth countries to “develop options for strengthening the relationship between Commonwealth members and the G-20 as well as with other relevant multilateral fora.”
• Commonwealth leaders called on the Secretariat to provide assistance to countries keen on sharing information on issues relating to the Reform of International Institutions.
• The Secretariat was requested to continue implementing all elements of the Lake Victoria Commonwealth Climate Change Action Plan, with a particular emphasis on “supporting small states and least developed countries in advancing their own strategies and policy frameworks on adaptation and towards carbon-neutral and climate-resilient economies.” The Secretary-General was also asked to explore “the potential for a partnership between the Commonwealth, the World Bank and others, to provide specific programmes of support to vulnerable countries”.
• Heads urged “the Secretariat to continue work in all the areas that would assist small states in their endeavour to implement crisis-resilient growth and development strategies.”

Key Links:

• Secretary-General
• CHOGM Media Pack