Commonwealth

Milestone for Free Speech: Commonwealth adopts Principles on Freedom of Expression

Today, the Commonwealth governments adopted the Principles on Freedom of Expression and the Role of the Media in Good Governance - a milestone for free speech across the Commonwealth  In the final Communiqué they also said the member States ‘are urged to take concrete and meaningful steps to implement them within their domestic frameworks’. This link will take you to a joint press release from the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative and the Commonwealth Journalists Association.Read more

New Commonwealth Secretary-General Announced

At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, leaders announced the selection of the Honourable Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, currently Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ghana, as the incoming Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.  Media Statement By Hon. Shirley Botchwey, Commonwealth Secretary-General elect. Apia, Samoa. 26th October, 2024. I am honoured to have been elected today as the 7th Secretary-General of our Commonwealth by Heads of Government, meeting in Apia, Samoa. I am humbled by their trust and confidence in me; and I thank them profoundly. This election would make…Read more

CHOGM Samoa 2024

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2024 (CHOGM) will take place in Apia, Samoa from 21-26 October 2024. It will be the first CHOGM to be held in a Pacific Small Island Developing State. The CHOGM website can be accessed hereRead more

Commonwealth Day 2024

Commonwealth Day took place on Monday 11 March 2024, marking the beginning of a week-long series of events and activities happening around the globe – including faith and civic gatherings, debates, school assemblies, flag-raising ceremonies and cultural events.  The Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration took place in Westminster Abbey, led by HM The Queen and HRH The Prince of Wales supported by senior members of the Royal family. In the absence of HM The King, a video message from His Majesty was broadcast to the Abbey congregation and to the Commonwealth.Read more

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

It is with great sadness that the CPU Media Trust records the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September 2022. Her Majesty was a committed supporter of the Commonwealth and the work done by organisations such as the CPU Media Trust and the organisation had a very good working relationship with Buckingham Palace over the years.Showing an ongoing interest in the Commonwealth media, Her Majesty invited delegates to receptions during two of the CPU Conferences over the past 20 years and always showed a keen interest in the workings of…Read more

CHOGM 2022 Communique

On the final day of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2022 (CHOGM 2022), leaders met today in Kigali, under the theme of 'Delivering a Common Future: Connecting, Innovating, Transforming'. The CHOGM 2022 Communique can be found by clicking here Heads underscored the importance of connecting, innovating, and transforming in order to facilitate a full recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, achieve the 2030 Agenda, and to respond to conflicts and crises in ways that increase resilience and progress in delivering a common future, underpinned by sustainability, peace and prosperity, to improve the lives…Read more

West African States Togo and Gabon Join the Commonwealth

Gabon and Togo joined the Commonwealth on Saturday, becoming the latest nations with no historic ties to Britain to enter the English-speaking club headed by Queen Elizabeth II.  The 54-nation group of mostly former British colonies accepted Togo and Gabon’s application for membership on the final day of its leadership summit in Rwanda. “We have admitted Gabon and Togo as new members, and we all welcome them to the Commonwealth family,” Rwandan President Paul Kagame said at the closing press conference. The French-speaking West African states are the first new members to join…Read more

Secretary-General Baroness Scotland re-elected for second term

By convention, incumbents are re-elected unopposed if they stand for a second term as secretary general. Her term had already been extended by two years from her initial four-year tenure because the Rwanda summit, originally scheduled to take place in 2020, was postponed until now due to the coronavirus pandemic.Read more

Commonwealth Secretariat denies entry to at least 2 journalists seeking to cover summit in Rwanda; others left in limbo

The Commonwealth Secretariat should ensure that all journalists can freely cover the upcoming summit in Rwanda, and should not allow the press accreditation process to be used as a political tool, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which brings together the leaders of Commonwealth nations for meetings every two years, is scheduled to be held in Rwanda from June 20 to 25. Foreign correspondents’ access to cover the event is controlled by the Commonwealth Secretariat, while the Rwandan government is responsible for the accreditation of domestic media,…Read more

Commonwealth Leadership row ahead of leaders’ summit

Jamaica's foreign minister has denied she is a proxy candidate for the UK in her bid to replace Baroness Scotland as secretary general of the Commonwealth.  Kamina Johnson Smith told the BBC she was "offended" both personally and on behalf of Jamaica by the suggestion. She said it "bore no relevance to reality". Commonwealth heads of government meet in Rwanda next week to decide who should lead the 54-nation body that encompasses 2.5 billion people.  The Queen remains titular head of the Commonwealth - and will be represented by Prince Charles in Kigali…Read more