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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Commonwealth Secretary-General to Visit Fiji Islands, Tonga, Samoa and New Zealand

25 August 2005

Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon will visit several Commonwealth Pacific countries in late August and early September 2005. He will start in Fiji Islands, where he will address the Commonwealth Workshop on Government and Opposition - Roles, Rights and Responsibilities, scheduled for 29-31 August 2005. Organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) in co-operation with the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and the Pacific Islands Association of Non-Governmental Organisations, the workshop will bring together key political party and civil society leaders from the Commonwealth Pacific region to discuss co-operation among governments and opposition parties to strengthen democracy. The opening ceremony at 10 am on 29 August is open to the media. 

The Secretary-General will also speak at the opening of the CPA Annual Conference in Nadi on 6 September 2005.

Mr McKinnon is also scheduled to visit Tonga, Samoa and New Zealand to hold bilateral discussions on the forthcoming Commonwealth Foreign Ministers and the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) Meetings to be held in New York in September 2005. He will brief the Heads of Government on the preparations for the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to be held in Malta from 25 to 27 November 2005. 

The Secretary-General will discuss with the Heads of Government in Fiji Islands, Samoa, Tonga, and New Zealand, as well the Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum, issues of concern in the Pacific such as trade, finance, security and terrorism.  He will also seek the leaders' views on the Pacific Plan and discuss ways in which the Commonwealth can provide practical assistance to facilitate its implementation.

Note to Editors:

The Pacific Plan, adopted by the PIF leaders in Auckland, New Zealand in April 2004, promotes closer regional co-operation and encourages the efficient use of regional resources.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General will be in Fiji Islands on 28-29 August 2005 and again from 5 to 8 September. He is scheduled to visit Tonga (30-31 August), Samoa (31 August-1 September) and New Zealand (2-5 September and 8-11 September).

For further details, contact Mwambu Wanendeya, who will be travelling with the Secretary-General, on + 44 7730 90 0020.

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