CHOGM
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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. |