Commonwealth Summit 2018 – Picture by commonwealth.org
19-20 April 2018, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018 (CHOGM) was hosted by the 88th British Prime Minister Theresa May in her capacity as Commonwealth Chair-in-Office in rotating fashion after the Maltese Premier Joseph Muscat passed the torch to her.
The Commonwealth of Nations is an intergovernmental organisation of 53 member states that are mostly former territories of the British Empire. It represents about 2.4. billion people scattered about the world. This two-day summit involved 46 heads of Commonwealth governments and foreign ministers from the remaining seven countries.
All in all, the leaders agreed on a communiqué entitled “Towards a common future” wherein they obliged themselves to pursue policies to protect the oceans from pollution and climate change, combat cyber online crime and threats, prevent violent extremism and human trafficking, pledged to halve malaria in Commonwealth countries by 2023 and endeavour that all boys and girls should receive at least 12 years of education by 2030.
Britain encouraged more active trade amongst the countries with in order to expand intra-Commonwealth trade to $2 trillion by 2030.
A pivotal result of the consultations was the decision that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II ought to be succeeded by her eldest son and heir apparent, HRH The Prince of Wales, as Head of the Commonwealth after the former’s demise. The ceremonial role, currently held by Queen Elizabeth II, is largely a symbolic one and carries no maximum fixed term but it is not deemed to be hereditary.
Normally the Head of the Commonwealth pays regular visits to the member states to foster links amongst them personally.
A decision on all successive heads has yet to be made by the Commonwealth leaders.
Meanwhile, the Commonwealth Secretary-General and the Secretariat, its central organisation, help to plan many Commonwealth activities. Incumbent and VI Secretary-General is HE The Rt Hon Baroness Patricia Scotland of Asthal.
For further information:
https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/commonwealth-heads-of-government-meeting-2018
