Commonwealth makes significant contribution for development

by Manjula Fernando

Parallel to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo, held under the theme 'Growth with Equity; Inclusive Development', many side events took place to fine tune collective policies and initiatives that will be agreed upon by the Heads of State to steer the Commonwealth in the coming two years.

At the pre-CHOGM press conference

In addition to the two key forerunners; the Commonwealth Youth Forum and the People's Forum, senior officials and Foreign Ministers were meeting on different platforms to work on this final communique.

The gathering identified as the Committee of the Whole (COW), a meeting of Commonwealth Foreign Ministers began sittings at the BMICH's Committee room B on Monday and continued through Tuesday.

Followed by a luncheon hosted by External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris on Tuesday at Hilton, foreign Ministers attending the Ministerial meeting on small states was inaugurated. At a subsequent media briefing Foreign Minister Prof G.L. Peiris, who chaired this meeting, said for development to be inclusive, it must deliver tangible benefits to improve the quality of life of the citizens of the Commonwealth.

"Our central challenge today is to make development a reality for our people and improve their quality of life. It must not appear remote to them,"

He highlighted a lack of access to finance for development, huge debt burdens, and inability to access concessionary funding from international lenders as major constraints facing small states.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Commonwealth Secretary general, Kamalesh Sharma at the Hilton

"All Commonwealth societies should be better equipped to benefit from progress and increasingly share the dividends of prosperity. None should be left behind. This has been the driving spirit of the Commonwealth," Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma said.

The key feature of Wednesday was the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) Meeting at the committee Room C, BMICH. The CMAG is the political watchdog of the Commonwealth.

In view of the recent developments in the Maldives where the presidential election process had not concluded prior to the expiry of the president's term in office on November 11, 2013, CMAG decided to place the Maldives again on its formal agenda.

It agreed to monitor the situation in the Maldives until the elections (on Nov 16) are concluded and a new president is installed..

Later in the afternoon the first session of the Pre-CHOGM meeting of Commonwealth foreign Ministers took off the ground at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Centre.

The 'Pre-CHOGM press conference' by President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma at was the highlight on Thursday.

Questions about Sri Lanka's human rights record dominated the floor where Indian and European media shot several questions at the President and the Secretary General on the basis of allowing Sri Lanka to host the CHOGM.

The responses by the President to media questions are carried elsewhere in this paper.

At the tree planting ceremony at Mirijjawila Botanical Gardens

The Secretary General said the Commonwealth is collectively making a significant and distinctive contribution to guide the new development framework that will succeed the millenium Development goals once the 2015 target date is reached.

He said this objective is reflected in the theme of CHOGM 2013.

The Pre-CHOGM meeting of Commonwealth Foreign Ministers session II and III was held during the course of Thursday.

In the afternoon some of the Heads of Government left for Hambantota to take part in a roundtable with business leaders at the International Convention Centre at Hambantota and later a tree planting ceremony in the Mirijjawila Botanical Gardens.

The inauguration of the Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) was held on Friday at 10.15am at the Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa theatre where President Rajapaksa was handed the Chairmanship of the Commonwealth for the next two years by Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot.

The colorful ceremony was attended by Seven Presidents, five Vice Presidents, 13 Prime Ministers, 33 Foreign Ministers, nine other leaders and their spouses.

The Heads of Government then proceeded to the BMICH to begin the first CHOGM Executive session where they made efforts to finalise the document which would steer the path of the Commonwealth family in the next two years.

Youth leaders from the Commonwealth Youth Conference held a dialogue with Heads of Government at the BMICH in the afternoon where they handed the outcome report of their meetings in Hambantota. Their concerns will be incorporated in the deliberations of the Heads of Government. Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla Parker Bowles hosted a dinner for Heads of Government and their spouses at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel on Thursday.

Prof. G.L. Peiris addressing the CHOGM Business Forum

Yesterday was the Heads of Government retreat at Waters Edge which began with a sports breakfast hosted by President Rajapaksa and the President of the Commonwealth Games Federation Prince Tanku Imran.

The CHOGM retreat session began at 9.30am. At this informal session leaders discussed matters of mutual interest to the Commonwealth as well as bi-lateral issues.

The Commonwealth Foreign Ministers round table with Commonwealth Associated Organisations and Civil Society Organisations was held at Hotel Hilton in the morning to take stock of their concerns that needs to be considered in the final deliberations of the Heads of Government. The CHOGM retreat session II was opened in the afternoon. A state banquet was hosted by President Mahinda Rajapaksa and First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa at Temple Trees last evening for Heads of Government and their spouses.

Today the leaders are expected to finalise their final communique and announce at a concluding press conference to be held at the Committee Rloom B at the BMICH around noon. It will be chaired by President Rajapaksa and Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma with several other Heads of Government also expected to attend.

Before this the Heads of Government will participate in for a CHOGM retreat session III and CHOGM executive session III at the Waters Edge and at the BMICH.