Commonwealth event in New York, hosted by Hon Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and Commonwealth Chair in Office

Honourable Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Chair-in-Office; other distinguished representatives of Commonwealth governments; friends and colleagues.

Allow me on behalf of the guests here tonight to extend our deep gratitude for the Chair’s warm words of welcome, and for her kindness and generosity in hosting this Commonwealth event, together with the distinguished representatives of Australia and the United Kingdom.

Receptions are a time for conviviality and exchange – distinct Commonwealth traits – and so I shall not take too much of your time that is better dedicated to such pursuits.

But I do want to acknowledge with appreciation that this is the first occasion that the Chair in Office – since the position was established a decade ago – has graciously hosted the Commonwealth community in New York. We appreciate enormously this expression of leadership and innovation in bringing us together.

Madame Chair, you will recall vividly my call on you in Port of Spain within weeks of your assuming office. You rightly observed that the experience of my visit felt almost like an information overload. There is indeed a great deal to the Commonwealth – it is active in so many ways on so many fronts, even when these are not immediately visible.

From Port of Spain, I traveled to Ottawa to meet Prime Minister Harper as Chair of the G8 and G20 summits. Then, from Ottawa, I traveled here to New York where I met Commonwealth Permanent Representatives, many of whom I see again here this evening. I wish to thank them and to assure them that I took great heart from our engagement.

This is not intended to be a recapitulation of part of my extensive travel itinerary from last June, but rather to underline precisely what the Commonwealth is about today at the government level: engaging with our members at home; engaging in the global discourse wherever it is to be found and is relevant; and joining up these dots.

To those ends, this city and its networks take on increasing importance. PRs spoke of the value to them of our Joint Commonwealth Small States Office becoming a hub for disseminating information about Commonwealth activity that is relevant to their UN agenda. We are working on a practical result to meet the need.

And, we are working to open the doors of a similar office in Geneva from January next year. It will not only provide office accommodation, but also technical experts in areas of concern and relevance to small states, such as trade and human rights. We intend this to be a magnetic hub for any Commonwealth small state visiting Geneva and requiring support.

As you all know, there is an Eminent Persons Group – and I am announcing this week the appointment of an 11th member to complete the Group’s composition. Whether it is akin to the 11 in a football team or the 11 in a cricket team, it is a decidedly Commonwealth number and they are very much our First Eleven. We are enthusiastic about the role that the EPG can play in raising ambitions and identifying ways to raise our profile.

Meanwhile, Madame Chair, you have kindly taken your own initiative, indicating your intention to refer to the Commonwealth in your UNGA statement tomorrow. This is something of a jackpot for us in 2010: The Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, did so a few months ago here at the United Nations, and now your own remarks as Chair will further raise our profile at the global summit. I was also pleased to address the Mauritius +5 summit on Friday on behalf of us all. I hope many others will take your example to heart – those present here are, after all, the best possible advocates. We have to lift the global interface of our unique and precious association. What better place to do so than in New York at the UNGA.

I mentioned the EPG as our First Eleven. If I may keep the sporting theme going, I should report that the BBC Sports website has now placed the Commonwealth Games page into Bronze position, ahead of both cricket and rugby, although we still have football and the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix in front of us.

The preparations for the Games have been in the media for the wrong reasons, as we know. And invariably negative news in one place can have an impact elsewhere, and even on the overall brand. Positive news can too.

Good grounds have been demonstrated to have confidence in the Government of India and the Commonwealth Games Federation. They have gripped the challenges, and we wish them well as they enter the final stages of preparations. The Commonwealth is an association of goodwill, and so we wish India and the Games Federation all possible success and our support.

I was delighted to learn yesterday that all 71 nations will be present. So, my own sense of optimism, commitment and enthusiasm for this great Commonwealth event is clearly shared!

For thousands of athletes, the Commonwealth Games are an inspiration and an aspiration. They have set a standard over the years for cooperation and friendship that has earned them the label of the ‘Friendly Games’. They will go ahead. They will honour the athletes who have invested so much energy into their participation. And they will be a celebration of the diversity and opportunity on which the Commonwealth is founded.

Distinguished Guests, it would seem fitting to conclude in the same way as I began, by renewing my thanks to the Chair and others who have been so generous in hosting this event, and by proposing a toast.

“The Commonwealth”

Thank you.