Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), Kampala 23-25 November 2007

26 July 2007

Call for Media Accreditation

Commonwealth Heads of Government will meet in Kampala, Uganda from November 23 to 25, and the media accreditation process has begun.

Details of how to apply for media accreditation can be obtained from the official CHOGM website: https://www.chogm2007.ug/accreditation/welcome.php

Inquiries should be directed to chogm@commonwealth.int

The theme for this year’s CHOGM is Transforming Commonwealth Societies to achieve Political, Economic and Human Development. The meeting will focus on bringing economic and social benefits to Commonwealth member countries, and above all to the poorest.

The overriding objective of CHOGM is to develop ways of improving the lives of Commonwealth citizens by:

Reinforcing the Commonwealth’s fundamental political values such as democracy and good governance; Economic liberalisation and global stability through initiatives such as debt relief and an assessment of progress to achieve the Millennium Development Goals; Development issues like capacity and institution building in member countries; and linking the Commonwealth, its global partners and regional organisations to establish strategic partnerships for development. Climate change may also be discussed.

As well as the Heads of Government meeting, the CHOGM week will incorporate the Commonwealth Youth Forum, the Commonwealth Business Forum, and the Peoples’ Forum, bringing together civil society from Commonwealth countries.

As a result of mandates given to the Commonwealth Secretariat at the last CHOGM in Malta in November 2005, the following reports and recommendations will be presented in Kampala:

  • The Commission for Respect and Understanding, chaired by Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, will report on its findings about the causes of conflict, the breakdown of understanding within and between communities, and its implications for policy-makers. 
  • The Committee on Commonwealth Membership, chaired by former Jamaican Prime Minister PJ Patterson, will present its review of the criteria under which applications for Commonwealth membership would be considered in future. 
  • The Steering Committee on ‘Commonwealth Connects’, which is tasked with helping bridge the digital divide among member countries.

Foreign Ministers Meeting

Foreign Ministers will meet in Kampala two days prior to CHOGM, from 21 to 22 November 2007. They will be discussing issues such as democracy and governance issues, conflict prevention and resolution, terrorism, international trade and economic co-operation, financing for development, environmental issues and natural disasters.

CHOGM 2007 will also see the election of a new Secretary-General. Don McKinnon will finish his term of office on 31 March 2008.

The Commonwealth Secretariat will continue to keep the media informed.

For media enquiries, please contact Manoah Esipisu, Deputy Spokesperson & Deputy Director, Communications and Public Affairs Division on Tel +44 (0) 207 747 6379 or m.esipisu@commonwealth.int

Or Victoria Holdsworth, Communications Officer & Assistant Spokesperson Europe & Canada on Tel: +44 (0) 207 747 6383 or v.holdsworth@commonwealth.int

ISSUED BY THE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIVISION
Commonwealth Secretariat Marlborough House Pall Mall London SW1Y 5HX United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)20 7747 6385/6 Fax: +44 (0)20 7839 9081
Email: info@commonwealth.int