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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Address by the Commonwealth Secretary-General Rt Hon Donald McKinnon, at the Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Coolum, Australia, 2 March 2002

2 March 2002

Your Majesty, Distinguished Heads of State and Government, ladies and gentlemen,

It gives me great pleasure to join Prime Minister Howard in welcoming you to the first CHOGM of the 21st century, and my first as Secretary-General.

Thank you, Prime Minister Howard, for hosting our meeting on the beautiful Sunshine Coast and for the excellent arrangements made for it.

Let me express my particular gratitude to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Head of the Commonwealth, for her presence amongst us today - yet another manifestation of her deep commitment to the Commonwealth. Thank you, Your Majesty, for your dedication and your leadership over the last fifty years.

We meet here at a most challenging time. The last century has seen unprecedented advances in every field but our problems have not all gone away. New challenges require us to constantly reassess our priorities.

In order to remain relevant, we must always be prepared to adapt and change. And in order to retain the respect of our peoples and the wider world we must remain true to our values and principles.

The way to do this is by playing an active part in charting the path to the future. If we want to be ahead of the game, we must help write the rules.

The Report of the High Level Review Group under President Mbeki's leadership addresses that very issue.

We know we can make a difference in the fight against terrorism. Our leaders' statement was resolute. Our Ministers have put forward a Plan of Action, which Heads of Government will now consider.

Everyone here knows that the new challenges brought about by globalisation are at the centre of our agenda of continuity and renewal.

Of globalisation there are many views and many definitions. Those who benefit from the process naturally support it. Those who don't—which is the case for many people in the Commonwealth—see no reason to applaud it. And we've witnessed the extreme behaviour of some of those who oppose it.

In the Commonwealth we want to have a spirit of generous globalisation. We must be committed to ensure that the benefits of technological advances and real liberalisation of trade are shared more equitably. This is what the word "Commonwealth" means.

The widening gap between rich and poor is one of the gravest problems we face today. Poverty means disease, hunger, no clean water, limited communication; it is deeply destabilising and one of the greatest threats to democracy.

No one in the world can have a secure future when half the world has no future at all.

But as we democratise globalisation, we must also continue to globalise democracy.

Democratic values, good governance and the rule of law are at the core of the Commonwealth identity. It must remain that way.

But we must also find new and innovative ways of deepening the democratic culture. The vital work carried out by CMAG, the use of Commonwealth good offices and the contribution of our election observers must be continued and strengthened.

Our agenda for renewal should also—and perhaps primarily—focus on young people.

We must give them a stake in the Commonwealth today, so that they willingly become the custodians of tomorrow's Commonwealth.

It is crucial that we remind ourselves why we are here today. We are here for the people of the Commonwealth.

Some unreconstructed critics say that we are a "club of former colonies" that has outlived its purpose, asking: "What is the Commonwealth for?"

But this is the wrong question. It's not what is the Commonwealth for, but: "Who is the Commonwealth for?"

The Commonwealth is for the small-holder farmer in Guyana who, thanks to a Commonwealth-supported irrigation project, now benefits from more arable land.

The Commonwealth is for the young woman on a Pacific island, who, thanks to the gender mainstreaming programme, found a more responsive judicial system to assist her in the violence she faced at home.

The Commonwealth is for the schoolboy in Botswana who is able to buy books at an affordable price thanks to the Commonwealth resources scheme.

Your Majesties, your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

The test of successful development is

Not the bureaucratic approval of a project
Not the measurement of outcomes
Not the returns on capital

It is ultimately the smile on the face of a child.

So as we embark on this meeting, let us not forget the people we serve. We should always ask ourselves: What is the impact of our work on the citizens and the communities of the Commonwealth? Are we putting smiles on the faces of our children?

This should be the measure of our success.

Thank you.

-o0o-
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