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• The Commonwealth: a partnership of Nations

The Commonwealth: a partnership of Nations

Date: 23 Jul 2004
Speaker: Secretary-General Don McKinnon
Location: Royal College of Defence Studies

When I first became Secretary-General , 4 years ago, I was constantly asked the questions: "what is the Commonwealth?" "What is its role in today's international landscape" "Is it still relevant, isn't it the case that it has outlived its purpose?"

Four years later, as I start my second term, I find myself answering the same questions. What is it about the Commonwealth that its value and relevance are so often questioned?

First, the Commonwealth is one among a vast number of international bodies. While 50 years ago, there was only a handful of organisations a country would be a member of, the list is much longer today. The marketplace for international organisations is getting more and more crowded.

Second, there is increasing scepticism about the role and effectiveness of international organisations generally in today's world. Many perceive these organisations as costly, slow moving and ineffective in periods of crisis. They are also sometimes marginalised by big players on the global stage. In that sense, the Commonwealth faces the same challenges as the UN, NATO or the EU.

And finally, the Commonwealth does not have, like other organisations, a single agenda; it does many different things in many different areas. The Commonwealth promotes democracy, human rights and good governance, but it also runs development programmes, helps member countries exploit their natural resources, assists governments manage the national debt and helps provide better health and greater education opportunities to Commonwealth citizens.

In other words, as international organisations go, the Commonwealth is a bit of a "jack of all trades". This makes the organisation difficult to grasp for anyone who is not familiar with its workings - and even, sometimes, for someone who is! Yet, the Commonwealth has proven and continues to prove that it has a unique role to play in today's world.

It is the oldest living political association of states. That, in itself, is significant. It shows that the Commonwealth has the capacity to change, adapt to changing circumstances, new challenges and a fast evolving global landscape. The Commonwealth has a staying power few have: how many organisations which existed in the 1950s, when the modern Commonwealth emerged, are still around today? That, notwithstanding the many obituaries written of the Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth is also unique because of its size: it's smaller than the UN, but it's not regionally based, like the EU, CARICOM or the Pacific Forum. It's not only based on a community of interests, like regional economic organisations such as SADC or ASEAN. The Commonwealth has a truly global reach, yet isn't so big as to become unwieldy.

Another unique feature of the Commonwealth is that it is based on a common identity, common values and a shared history. Apart from the English language, Commonwealth countries share similar political institutions, education systems, administrative, legal and customs structures.

When an Australian businessman lands in Nigeria , for example, he finds himself in a familiar environment: he speaks the language, understands the government structures and instantly recognises commercial institutions and business practices. In other words, he can "hit the ground running".

From Botswana to Nauru , from Canada to Guyana , Commonwealth schoolchildren are able to connect in a special way, not only because they speak the same language, but because their school experience and their outlook on the world are often very similar. That's why the Commonwealth is often referred to as a "Family of Nations". In fact, the Commonwealth can also be described as a partnership of nations.

The Commonwealth is not a huge bureaucracy. It's a global forum for sharing ideas, exchanging knowledge and establishing a cultural dialogue among equal partners. This "sense of family" is apparent in the familiarity and informality of Heads of Government meetings.

It was the Commonwealth which developed the idea of a "leaders' retreat", where Heads of Government can interact in a relaxed and informal environment, away from the presence of officials. The "leaders' retreat" has now become a feature of many international Summits, including the G8.

The Commonwealth partnership revolves around three common principles all Commonwealth Nations strive to support and strengthen: Democracy, Development and Diversity (3 D's).

Democracy : The Commonwealth promotes democratic principles by observing elections at the request of member states, by creating or strengthening institutions which safeguard the Harare values, by promoting transparency and accountability in public life, by sharing best practice among Commonwealth countries.

We also help promote these values and prevent conflicts through our "good offices" work.

Development : CFTC. We promote socio-economic development in our member countries by enabling them to share skills and knowledge.

Diversity : 53 member states spanning every continent, countries of all sizes, at all stages of development, representing a multiplicity of religious and cultural groups. We see diversity as a tool to promote a spirit of understanding and tolerance.

Let me now dwell a bit more on each of the 3 Ds.

I. Democracy: a Commonwealth imperative

One of the key features of the Commonwealth is that it is an organisation based on shared values and principles.

These are outlined in the 1991 Harare Declaration. They include the protection and promotion of democracy, the rule of law, good governance, equality for women, sustainable development and universal access to education.

But our leaders felt that it was not enough simply to declare their commitment to a set of fundamental political principles. They thought it was important to show that the Commonwealth actually lived up to these principles.

CMAG

So in 1995, they decided to set up the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group on the Harare Declaration (CMAG). This "democracy watchdog", which consists of nine Foreign Ministers, is empowered with measures to deal with serious or persistent violations of the Harare Principles.

There are plenty of examples to show that the Commonwealth does not merely pay lip service to its fundamental political values.

In 1995 Nigeria was suspended from membership but has since rightfully returned to the Commonwealth family and was the host of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in December last year.

Sierra Leone was suspended from the councils of the Commonwealth in 1997; it too was subsequently reinstated.

Zimbabwe was suspended following flawed elections in March 2002, until it chose to withdraw from the Commonwealth in December last year.

Pakistan was suspended from the councils of the Commonwealth following a military coup in 1999. The suspension was lifted last May, in light of progress in Pakistan 's democratic reform. The country remains, however, on CMAG's agenda.

The mandate of CMAG was further broadened two years ago, when leaders decided that countries could be suspended not only when a constitutionally elected government had been overthrown, but also when there were serious or persistent violations of Commonwealth fundamental principles in other ways.

The Commonwealth has been a trailblazer in this regard and CMAG remains the only mechanism of its kind among international organisations. It is encouraging that other bodies - such as the African Union, the Pacific Forum and La Francophonie - now seem to be moving in the same direction.

It is interesting to note that every country which has left, or been suspended, has sought to come back; we hope this will also be the case with Zimbabwe .

An important decision reached at the last CHOGM further strengthened the Commonwealth's hand in promoting democratic principles: leaders agreed on guidelines for implementing the Commonwealth's fundamental values by all branches of government. These principles - known as the "Latimer House Guidelines" - set out a framework for responsibility, transparency and accountability in the three branches of government - Parliament, the Executive an the Judiciary.

Good Offices in action

The role of CMAG and the Latimer House Guidelines illustrate how the Commonwealth promotes democratic values throughout its membership. This work, based on a long-term approach, aims at supporting democracy as an effective bulwark against conflict and violence.

In cases when urgent action is required, we use our good offices to help resolve crises before they degenerate into violent conflict.

The Commonwealth is strategically placed to play an increasing role in helping prevent and solve conflicts. Here's why:

First, most conflicts today are within states rather than between states. The Commonwealth only intervenes at the request or with the consent of a member country. Our approach is based on building trust between the parties involved, acting with discretion and sensitivity.

Second, many conflicts today grow out of ethnic or religious tensions. The Commonwealth, with its experience in managing diversity and generating consensus, is well suited to help find a common ground of understanding between warring parties.

Third, many countries facing internal conflicts are often reluctant to accept outside assistance as they perceive it as a threat to their national sovereignty. The Commonwealth has no battalions and therefore does not intervene militarily. It uses the force of argument rather than the argument of force to help opposing parties pull back from the brink and bring them to the negotiating table. As Winston Churchill famously said: "to jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war". That belief is also at the centre of the Commonwealth purpose.

The Commonwealth's good offices role was reinforced last year with the establishment of a Good Offices Section in the Secretariat's Political Affairs Division. In addition to serving as an early warning mechanism and putting forward measures for preventive action, the Good Offices Section co-ordinates a more integrated approach towards conflict situations, working in partnership with other organisations.

Let me give you a few examples of our good offices work:

a. Cameroon

Cameroon joined the Commonwealth in 1995. For some time now, there has been international concern about a number of issues in the country.

The Commonwealth has offered its support to the country and my Special Envoy, the Hon. Christine Stewart (a former Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of Canada), is assisting the Government of Cameroon in the implementation of wide-ranging reforms in the areas of election management, human rights, the judiciary and decentralisation.

There are encouraging developments and in December 2002, a Cameroon/Commonwealth Presidential Commission was established in order to develop a framework and timetable for the implementation of the agreed reforms.

b. Fiji Islands

In Fiji , our good offices engagements are facilitated by my Special Envoy, Justice Pius Langa - Vice-President of the Constitutional Court of South Africa.

This engagement has focused on facilitating dialogue between the political parties, encouraging the formation of a government in accordance with the Constitution and promoting national reconciliation.

Last May, CMAG decided to remove Fiji from its agenda, following progress in regard to strengthening democracy and respect for the rule of law.

c. Guyana

In Guyana , Sir Paul Reeves (a former Governor-General of New Zealand) has been engaged as my Special Envoy since August 2002.

The objective of his engagement is to promote dialogue between the main political parties with a view to developing more inclusiveness in the political life of the country.

This dialogue has started and has already resulted in an agreement on a process of reform in the areas of election management, the constitution, capacity building for parliament and good governance.

These are just some examples of the work we do to help prevent conflicts. Not much is known about many of these interventions because, by their very nature, they have to be discreet.

II. Economic development as an antidote to conflict

But peace and stability are not only achieved through efforts at the political and diplomatic levels.

Sound economic development and strong trade relations can prove powerful ingredients of stability and antidotes to conflict.

If the stability of your economy and the well-being of your population depend on trading with your neighbour, you will think twice about going to war with them.

European leaders, after the Second World War, understood this very well: with the establishment of the European Economic Community , they decided to link their economies together through trade so they wouldn't go to war again.

But trade will only work as a force for peace if it is fair.

Ending the trade apartheid

For many years, developing countries have been told that the only way to prosperity was through trade liberalisation.

But while poor countries have heeded this advice and removed many of their trade barriers, many developed countries failed to reciprocate. In precisely those sectors where developing countries have a comparative advantage, such as agriculture and textiles, developed countries have protected themselves through both tariff and non-tariff barriers, and extensive systems of domestic subsidies resulting in dumped exports.

We all know that the single greatest thing advanced nations could do to help developing countries would be to give them access to their markets. According to Horst Köhler, the former Managing Director of the IMF, himself: "protectionism in industrial countries is the core problem in the fight against poverty."

The World Bank has estimated that a deal to open up rich countries' markets to poor nations could lift up to 144 million people out of poverty by 2015.

The Doha trade round offered hope that some of the asymmetries of the international trade system would be corrected. The failure of the Cancun trade talks was a disappointment for everyone - but the damage inflicted is not irreversible.

At their meeting in Abuja , Commonwealth leaders showed their determination to help put the trade talks back on track. They decided to establish a Commonwealth Ministerial Trade Mission to help in this process. Earlier this year, the Ministerial Group, headed by the Nigerian Minister of Trade, went on a mission to key capitals and engaged with major players to help generate a consensus on the way forward.

In their meetings, Commonwealth Trade Ministers detected a genuine commitment to a rules-based multilateral trading system. There was recognition that a breakthrough on agriculture was crucial for a successful conclusion of the trade round.

But real progress will only be achieved if all players show political courage and commitment to negotiate in good faith.

Today, rich countries must realise that opening their markets to the developing world and lowering trade subsidies is in everyone's interest.

First, phasing out subsidies would reduce real cost of products to consumers in the developed world.

Second, the money governments would save on subsidies could be invested in health, education and public services and could also translate in lower levels of taxation.

And third - perhaps most importantly - cutting subsidies and allowing developing countries to trade their way out of poverty would bring more stability to the world. Living in an interdependent world, we must recognise that tackling global poverty is not only a moral imperative, but also a political one. We can't make the world more stable and more secure if we don't start by making it more just.

Development: creating opportunities

We also promote development through our Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation (CFTC).

In spite of operating on a very limited budget, the CFTC remains a very flexible tool which enables it to respond to the needs of member countries quickly and efficiently.

Projects include, for example:

Advising governments on how to attract investment to exploit natural resources. In the petroleum sector, for instance, we helped the Government of Namibia negotiate agreements with international oil companies for offshore exploration projects worth over US$100 million.

Through our Debt Recording and Management System, we help our members manage debt flows and improve transparency. This system is currently used by 53 countries and has been translated by La Francophonie for use among its membership.

Youth enterprise : we helped 500 young people set up their business by providing training and brokering funds. Three-quarters of those who benefited are women.

Commonwealth Private Investment Initiative : we raised more than US$200 million for projects in our developing member countries in Africa , the Caribbean , the Pacific and South Asia .

Public sector reform: 6,000 public officials benefited from training in managerial skills to improve delivery of public services.

Youth Ambassadors for Positive Living : young people living with HIV who educate others about AIDS prevention. Nearly 200 Commonwealth Youth Ambassadors operating in 6 countries in Africa , the Caribbean and Asia .

Training journalists : we helped train 750 media professionals from 40 Commonwealth countries.

These are just a few illustrative examples of the work we do.

III. Diversity makes us all stronger

Another unique feature of the Commonwealth is its capacity to generate consensus across a broad range of diverse countries.

As a multilateral organisation, the Commonwealth is ideally placed to help countries work through their differences in a spirit of partnership and collaboration.

The Commonwealth is a unique forum for global diplomacy and joint decision-making, where the views of all members are listened to and no single country has the upper hand.

Unlike other organisations, there is no voting procedure in the Commonwealth. All decisions are taken by consensus.

This inclusive process means that everyone is party to the final decision and no one is left out in the cold.

One example of effective consensus-building is the Statement on Terrorism issued by Commonwealth leaders shortly after the 11 September 2001 attacks.

Since then, the Secretariat has been developing model legislation and implementation kits to assist member countries with the adoption of appropriate counter-terrorism measures.

This shows that the Commonwealth, which embraces a broad diversity of countries - rich and poor, large and small, island and land-locked - can offer a real alternative to unilateral forms of decision-making.

Conclusion

Over thirty years ago, Arnold Smith, the first Commonwealth Secretary-General , said: "the greatest dangers in the world today, it seems to me, are three-fold: one is the nuclear proliferation problem, and that certainly is a world problem and not a Commonwealth problem as such. Secondly, and not less important, the dangers that decline into merely regional thinking. The development of neo-isolationism, and you will find lots of signs of this trend in North America , in Asia , in Africa and very much in Europe . Thirdly, the dangers involved in the growing gap between the rich and the poor."

Well, thirty years later, much of this is still true - unfortunately.

If we don't want the next generation to be standing here in thirty years' time, having to acknowledge that the world is still confronted with the same problems, the process of change must start now.

It is up to us to make sure that tomorrow's world will not be worse than today's. I believe Commonwealth ideally placed to play a part in that process.

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