Leaders welcome South Sudan interest to join the Commonwealth

Commonwealth leaders meeting in Perth, Australia, have welcomed the interest shown by the Government of South Sudan in joining the Commonwealth.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) on 30 October 2011, leaders congratulated South Sudan on attaining independence, and mandated the Commonwealth Secretary-General to pursue the established procedures for Commonwealth membership agreed at CHOGM in Kampala in 2007.

The procedure for membership involves:

• an informal assessment undertaken by the Secretary-General;
• consultation by the Secretary-General with member states;
• an invitation to the interested country to make a formal application;
• a formal application presenting evidence of the functioning of democratic processes and popular support in that country for joining the Commonwealth.

For media enquiries, please contact Julius Mucunguzi at j.mucunguzi@commonwealth.int