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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Fiji Islands, Commonwealth Issues to top McKinnon’s Agenda in New Zealand

27 March 2007

Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon is on a five-day visit to New Zealand from 26 to 30 March 2007.

His visit begins with his participation in the 4th Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) in Auckland from 26 to 27 March. The Forum, which is being formally opened by Prime Minister Rt Hon Helen Clark, will be based around the theme, Delivering Development through Local Leadership: A New Commonwealth Vision.

On 27 March, the Secretary-General will deliver a speech at the CLGF entitled Transforming Commonwealth societies through local leadership and effective governance.

Later in the day, Mr McKinnon will also address the Orewa Rotary Club in a speech entitled, The Commonwealth and New Zealand: defining the dividends. The Secretary-General will argue that New Zealand is a donor to the Commonwealth in gross financial terms but a beneficiary in net terms. He is expected to draw attention to the Commonwealth’s role in the South Pacific and its position on the current situation in the Fiji Islands.

The Secretary-General will also hold talks in Wellington with the Governor-General, HE Anand Satyanand, the Prime Minister, Rt Hon Helen Clark, and Leader of the Opposition, Hon John Key. The Secretary-General will also address Parliament’s Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee, and meet resident High Commissioners and senior officials.

Official discussions in Wellington are expected to focus on developments in the Fiji Islands as well as the Commonwealth’s work to strengthen economic and trade links between member countries, to define new criteria for membership, and to promote mutual respect and understanding between divided societies. The Secretary-General will also discuss arrangements for the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kampala, Uganda, from 23 to 25 November, and the key issues currently expected to arise there.

Note to Editors

For media enquiries, please contact Anna Kominik on +642-7472-4293 or Victoria Holdsworth on +44 (0) 20 7747 6383. email: v.holdsworth@commonwealth.int

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