End of Year Message from the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Rt Hon Don McKinnon: A Commonwealth of Solidarity

On one of my visits to Africa this year I met a young man who, having contracted HIV/AIDS himself, had taken the brave step to become a 'Young Ambassador for Positive Living'. His work involves sharing his experience and providing advice to others in order to help prevent the spread of the virus. He told me that what kept him going was the hope that his two younger sisters would not contract HIV/AIDS: "All I want is for my sisters to have a better life than mine and to be able to build their own families."

I left this young man feeling determined that his hope must not be betrayed. We all have a collective responsibility to ensure that the fight against AIDS continues and more resources are made available to stop the pandemic.
In fact, all the global problems the world is confronted with today - be they poverty, hunger, lack of political freedom or environmental degradation - should be of concern to every one of us. Our responsibility does not only
extend to people of our own community or our own country. As fellow citizens of the world, our lives are closely intertwined with those of others. We must act in a spirit of solidarity towards all.

Today, making a difference in the lives of individuals frequently requires us to look beyond the framework of nation states. Yet all too often we continue to think that we can solve 21st century problems by using 20th century solutions. Many hang on to the belief that countries can act unilaterally and get their own way by going it alone. But the reality is that no global problem can be solved by unilateral approaches, or by ignoring the voice of the poor and the vulnerable. And in our hyperconnected world, it is in our own interest to act in the interest of others.

The best way of dealing with global problems is to ensure that all views are given a fair hearing and that no nation is excluded from the global decision-making process. This is precisely why an organisation like the Commonwealth, where all member countries sit at the same table as equals, can play an important role in resolving conflicts and fostering dialogue between nations.

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Coolum, Australia, last March, offered a good example of multilateralism at work. Our leaders renewed their commitment to democracy, the rule of law and the protection of human rights. They also took the decision to broaden the remit of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), which acts as the custodian of these principles. This eight-minister committee now has a clear mandate to take effective action against member countries which are in serious or persistent violation of Commonwealth principles even when there has not been any unconstitutional overthrow of a democratically elected government.

At their meeting in Coolum, our leaders resolved to reinforce the Commonwealth's role in peace-building and the promotion of good governance. To that end, my good offices role was strengthened. To stop conflicts emerging in the future, we must act now to strengthen democracies and help root out cultures of corruption both in government and in the private sector. We must also create a fertile ground for political liberty and freedom of expression.
Extremist and violent ideologies are less likely to hold sway where women and men are allowed to play their full part in the future of their country, and where there is real debate about central issues of collective concern such as education, health care, employment and social justice.

Terrorism was of course on the Commonwealth leaders' agenda. They endorsed the Commonwealth Plan of Action against Terrorism at Coolum. It was also one of the central issues discussed by Law Ministers when they met in November 2002. Ministers took action to ensure that no Commonwealth country can be used as a safe haven for terrorists, and amended Commonwealth extradition arrangements to make it easier to extradite alleged terrorists.

Freedom and equality are not merely political principles. We cannot ignore the fact that global inequalities and the increasing gap between rich and poor create resentment and breed hatred. For too long, the developing world has
been promised a 'new deal' - aid, investment and real trade opportunities - and for too long, the affluent world has not delivered on its promise. The Doha 'Development Round' seemed to open a new era of fair, principle-based
trade negotiations. But hope has since faded as earlier commitments have been ignored.

Everybody knows that the single greatest thing rich countries can do to tackle global poverty is to bring down trade barriers, to allow poor countries access to their markets. Opening their own markets would benefit rich countries too, since allowing the economy of poor nations to develop would create new markets for the rich world. Yet countries in the developed world remain addicted to subsidies and refuse to kick the habit. For this to happen, we need more than promises. We need real political commitment and I call on the rich countries in particular to rise to the challenge.

The consensus reached in Monterrey last March also marked an important step in the process of global development. The challenge is now to deliver on the promises made at Monterrey and this is why at their recent meeting in London, Commonwealth Finance Ministers agreed on an Action Plan for Delivering the Monterrey Consensus. This action plan aims, among other things, to enhance the participation and representation of developing countries in the international financial institutions and to secure agreement to a new approach to debt restructuring.

It is worth noting that the discussions of Finance Ministers benefited greatly from the involvement of civil society. For the first time, civil society groups had a direct input to the meeting, following our leaders' determination to see stronger collaboration between the official and non-governmental Commonwealth.

Another key objective of the Commonwealth is to ensure that the voices of its smaller and more vulnerable members are heard in international forums. The promotion of the interests of small states was one of the key issues discussed both by leaders at Coolum and by Commonwealth Foreign Ministers at their first ever meeting, held in New York in September 2002.

The Commonwealth Games, held this summer in Manchester, were a huge success: the biggest Commonwealth Games ever and the biggest multi-sport event ever to be held in the United Kingdom. The Games were a demonstration not merely of sporting excellence but of Commonwealth diversity and solidarity, and helped engrave the name and the meaning of the Commonwealth in the minds of millions of people.

Commonwealth diversity was also one of the central themes of the Golden Jubilee of the Head of the Commonwealth, HM Queen Elizabeth II. Visitors to Marlborough House, the headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat, will find this diversity increasingly on display.

As this year draws to a close and as our thoughts begin to focus on the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, my hope is that 2003 will be a year of kept promises. It must be a year when the world recognises that growth cannot be sustained if it is not shared, that global security and global prosperity go hand in hand and that the only way to a better future for all is through partnership and solidarity.