The
Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) was established in 1995 and convenes
to review situations in member countries under suspension or reprimand. Since
Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth and since the suspension of Pakistan was lifted,
the CMAG does not have any country under review, but considers election reports
and continues to monitor developments in certain member countries, including Pakistan.
Various
Commonwealth ministerial meetings are held on an annual basis, dealing with issues
such as the environment, education, finance, health, law/justice and terrorism,
gender affairs, youth and the particular challenges facing small and island states.
Foreign Ministers meet annually in the margins of the UN General Assembly and
prior to CHOGMs.
STRUCTURES
A Commonwealth Secretariat was
established in 1965, is headed by a Secretary-General (Rt. Hon, Don McKinnon is
incumbent) with a staff of 321 and is located in Marlborough House, London. The
Secretary-General implements decision of the CHOGM and assumes a "good offices"
role. A Board of Governors and its Executive Committee oversee the work and budget
of the Secretariat, to which all member countries contribute on a pro rata basis.
The UK contributes approximately 1/3 of the overall budget.
The Commonwealth
Fund for Technical Co-operation (CFTC) was established in 1971 and provides expertise
training and consulting services to member countries, all of which make a voluntary
contribution to its budget. Other councils of the Commonwealth are the Commonwealth
Youth Programme (CYP) and the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC).
Numerous
other associations are accredited to the Commonwealth, the most important of which
include the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), Commonwealth Foundation (contacts
amongst professionals and with civil society and with over 70 NGO's linked to
Commonwealth), Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Commonwealth Games Federation,
Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Commonwealth Red Cross, Commonwealth Telecommunications
Organisation, Commonwealth Local Government Forum, Commonwealth Service Abroad
Programme, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Royal Commonwealth Society, Commonwealth
Institute and countless professional associations.
SOUTH AFRICA
AND THE COMMONWEALTH
South Africa was a founding member of the Commonwealth,
but found herself expelled in 1961 due to internal apartheid policies. She rejoined
the Commonwealth in 1994, shortly after first democratic elections, and in November
1999 South Africa both hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)
in Durban and assumed the Chair for the next two years. This was handed over to
Australia at the Coolum CHOGM in March 2002, whereafter South Africa remained
a member of the "Troika" till the Abuja CHOGM in December 2003.
Although
one of 53 equals, Presidents Mandela and Mbeki have had a major impact on recent
CHOGMs. President Mbeki signposted the need for the world to address poverty.
The presence of two G8 members (Britain and Canada) assisted with the adoption
of these principles on all the major forums of the world. The Fancourt Declaration
has been fed into the NAM, G77, G8 and the UNGA.
South Africa has since
1994 also actively partaken in ministerial meetings and the governing bodies of
the Commonwealth. Meetings of Ministers of Finance have, for example, devoted
resources to support the Monterrey Consensus, Justice Ministers have drafted model
anti-terrorism legislation, control over money laundering, and Ministers of Education
and of Health have adopted codes of conduct in the recruitment of workers from
small and developing countries.
Of the 110 foreign countries which have
diplomatic missions in South Africa 27 are High Commissions. A further 5 Commonwealth
countries have non-resident representation in South Africa. South Africa has representation
in 44 of the 53 Commonwealth countries - 22 diplomatic missions and 22 non-resident
representation. The High Commission in Canberra is also responsible for 3 Commonwealth
countries, which it had previously been accredited to on a non-residential basis.
RELEVANCE
Because of its 'club' status the Commonwealth has shown a meaningful
leverage on member countries, beyond that of most international organisations.
Its agenda has focussed on issues such as good governance and capacity building,
human rights, election monitoring and education.
The threat to democracy
internationally is most manifest amongst the poor and marginalised. In this respect
the Commonwealth Heads of Government accepted the Fancourt Declaration at Durban
in 1999. It is presently becoming the cornerstone of the Commonwealth in addressing
the major issue facing the world today, namely poverty.
The Commonwealth
has in particular committed itself to the UN Millennium Goals, the NEPAD and the
plight of small and less-developed countries. Its support in world for a for these
pressing issues have been sustained by its unique capacity for:
