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Statement on the Commonwealth Heads
of Government Meeting, 2-5 March 2002, Brisbane
President Thabo Mbeki, accompanied by Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, will lead the South
African delegation to the Commonwealth Heads of Government
Meeting (CHOGM) at Coolum, on the Sunshine Coast near
Brisbane, Australia, from Saturday 2 to Tuesday 5 March
2002.
As President Mbeki will relinquish his chairpersonship
of the Commonwealth to Australia, he will oversee the
successful conclusion of the work of the High Level
Group on the Review of the Commonwealth and its governance
mechanisms.
Traditionally, Commonwealth Heads of Government meetings
have three broad objectives.
To allow Heads of the Commonwealth to review international
political and economic developments, and to decide what
action the association will take where applicable.
To allow Heads to examine avenues for Commonwealth cooperation
for development.
To provide opportunities to strengthen the Commonwealth.
It is anticipated that this year, Commonwealth Heads
will also decide on a strong and visionary Declaration
to emerge from their deliberations on the future role
of the Commonwealth. The recommendations to be made
by President Mbeki, as Chair of the Group in this regard
will be significant.
During their formal meetings at Coolum, Commonwealth
Heads will review global developments. It is expected
that they will look at the role that the Commonwealth
can play to combat terrorism. In this respect they will
have before them a Commonwealth Plan of Action prepared
by a Ministerial Committee on Terrorism.
Also on the agenda will be the promotion of Commonwealth
Fundamental Political Values and Global Economic Developments.
Issues discussed at the Commonwealth Ministerial Action
Group (CMAG) - WTO issues, barriers to investment in
poor countries, private capital flows, HIV/AIDS and
debt relief – will form the basis of these discussions.
The work of the Commonwealth in the area of small states
and their problems regarding economic vulnerability
and capacity building is of great value to the whole
Commonwealth. Thirty-two of the fifty-four Commonwealth
Member states are classified as small states. Commonwealth
Heads will receive a report from the Commonwealth Ministerial
Group on Small States that will address progress in
the implementation of the Report of the Joint Commonwealth/World
Bank Task Force on Small States.
Commonwealth Heads of State and Government will congratulate
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, in celebrating 50 years
as Head of the Commonwealth. Tribute will be paid to
the great contribution Queen Elizabeth II has made to
the Commonwealth during this time. The Queen has regularly
attended the biennial Commonwealth Summits and endures
as the symbol of the free association with the Commonwealth.
The Coolum Communiqué will contain a Declaration
by all Heads as well as a summary of the resolutions
taken during the formal Executive Sessions.
For further information contact Ronnie Mamoepa on 082
990 4853 or Bheki Khumalo on 083 256 9133
Issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs
Private Bag X152
Pretoria
0001
25 February 2002
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