Reinvigorating the Commonwealth

The Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group (EPG) will meet in Malaysia this week from 26 to 27 January to further develop proposals to reinvigorate the Commonwealth.

Meeting in the home country of the group’s chairperson, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, former Prime Minister of Malaysia, the 11-person group will pay a courtesy call on the Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Tun Haji Abdul Razak.

The EPG was established by Commonwealth leaders at their 2009 summit in Trinidad and Tobago. The EPG is tasked with proposing options for reform in order to bring the Commonwealth’s many institutions into a stronger and more effective framework of co-operation and partnership. The group is also tasked with looking at the format, frequency and content of Commonwealth ministerial meetings.

At its last meeting in October 2010, the group declared that “silence is not an option” indicating that it would be calling for the Commonwealth to speak publicly as required and to act with greater authority on serious or persistent violations of Commonwealth values, including democracy, the rule of law and human rights.

“The Eminent Persons Group is committed to sharpening the impact, strengthening the networks and raising the profile of the Commonwealth association,” said Tun Abdullah.

“We are keen to hear the views of people and communities around the Commonwealth, before we finalise our report.”

During its meeting in Malaysia, the group will also meet with a number of distinguished Malaysian individuals, including: Tan Sri Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen Ismail, former Foreign Minister and President of the United Nations Association of Malaysia; Tun Musa Hitam, former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia; and Tan Sri Mohamed Jawhar Hassan, Chairman of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies, Malaysia.

The group will hold its fourth and final meeting on 21-22 March 2011 in London before reporting to leaders at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth, Australia, in October 2011.

NOTES

The group have previously met at Marlborough House, London, from 19 to 20 July 2010, and from 25 to 26 October 2010.

The group comprises:

• Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (Malaysia, Chairperson)

• Dr Emmanuel Akwetey (Ghana)

• Ms Patricia Francis (Jamaica)

• Dr Asma Jahangir (Pakistan)

• Mr Samuel Kavuma (Uganda, Commonwealth Youth Caucus)

• Hon Michael Kirby (Australia)

• Dr Graca Machel (Mozambique)

• Rt Hon Sir Malcolm Rifkind (UK)

• Sir Ronald Sanders (Guyana)

• Senator Hugh Segal (Canada)

• Sir Ieremia Tabai (Kiribati)

Biographies

For biographies and photos of the EPG members, please click here. 

Key Links:

• Eminent Persons Group
• Responses to the public consultations