Leaders accepted applications by the two west African countries at the closing session of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kigali, Rwanda. It follows formal expressions of interest by Gabon and Togo and consultation with member countries.
Rwanda was the last country to join the Commonwealth, in 2009.
Welcoming the announcement, Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, said: “The Commonwealth, which began as eight nations in 1949, is growing to 56. Our continued growth, beyond the scope of our history, reflects the advantages of Commonwealth membership and the strength of our association. I am thrilled to see these vibrant countries join the Commonwealth family and dedicate themselves to the values and aspiration of our Charter.”
Gabon is a sparsely populated country of two million people, bordering Cameroon – also a member of the Commonwealth – and Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of Congo.
Togo is bordered by Ghana – a Commonwealth member – and Benin and Burkina Faso. It has a population of approximately 7.8 million people.
Neither country has an historic association with the Commonwealth, with both gaining independence from France in the 1960’s.
The eligibility criteria for Commonwealth membership, amongst other things, state that an applicant country should demonstrate commitment to democracy and democratic processes, including free and fair elections and representative legislatures; the rule of law and independence of the judiciary; good governance, including a well-trained public service and transparent public accounts; and protection of human rights, freedom of expression, and equality of opportunity.
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) which officially opened in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda on Friday 24th June 2022 also re-elected Patria Scotland re-elected as the bloc’s Secretary-General.
A Commonwealth Secretary-General serves a maximum of two terms of four years each.
However, Scotland’s first term has lasted for six years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which delayed the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting by two years.
Leaders of the Commonwealth have reappointed Patricia Scotland for a further two years to complete the balance of her period in office.
Scotland was facing off a candidate designated by Jamaica, Kamina Johnson Smith.
The latter is the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica.
Meanwhile, President Kagame will serve as the Commonwealth Chair-in-Office for two years.
Customarily, the Head of State hosting CHOGM takes over the chairmanship for two years until the next meeting.
Kagame replaces Boris Johnson who held the position since 2018. He was supposed to handover to Rwanda in 2020 but the meeting was delayed due to the pandemic.
As he handed over on Friday, Boris Johnson said that he was passing the baton to President Kagame, one of the newest members of the commonwealth, and wished him success as he chairs, by encompassing 54 countries and a third of humanity.
“One of the newest members is now at the helm, and more nations are seeking to join, which tells you everything about the health and vitality of our Commonwealth, because for all the differences between us, we are united by an invisible thread of shared values, history and friendship”, he said.
The UK Prime Minister noted that he was able to make some remarkable achievements in the face COVID 19 and expressed optimism that the Commonwealth will make immeasurable progress as Kagame chairs the body.
“For now, it only remains for me to thank every Commonwealth member for having given the United Kingdom the chance to serve as Chair-in-Office. And as I pass on this responsibility to President Kagame, a close friend and partner.
I know that he shares my boundless optimism about the future of the Commonwealth at the forefront of the international agenda, and benefiting all our peoples”, he said.
The Chair-in-Office represents the Commonwealth at high-level international meetings and reinforces the Good Offices role of the Commonwealth Secretary-General.
Prince Charles hosted the dinner on Friday evening following the official opening of CHOGM 2022.
The Government Dinner traditionally takes place on the opening day of the bi-annual Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
The Prince and Duchess were the official hosts for the evening, greeting heads of government at Kigali Marriott Hotel on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II.
It was also hosted shortly after the outgoing Chair-in-Office of the Commonwealth, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson handed over duties to Kagame.
On another note, Patricia Scotland has been re-elected as the bloc’s Secretary-General for further two years to complete the balance of her period in office.
CHOGM 2022 is held under the theme, ‘Delivering a Common Future: Connecting, Innovating, Transforming’.
Presidents, prime ministers and their representatives from across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Pacific and Europe assembled in person at the Kigali Conference Centre for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic spread globally and delayed the meeting for two years.
As he delivered remarks, President Kagame thanked Queen Elizabeth II, the Head of the Commonwealth where her seventy years of service has seen the Commonwealth growing, ‘both in number, and in the scope of its ambition’.
The Head of State said that the fact of holding the meeting in Rwanda yet it is a new member with no historical connection to the British Empire, expresses the choice to continue re-imagining the Commonwealth, for a changing world.
“The Commonwealth does not replace other institutions. It adds to them. That is why we always have important special guests with us. Let me recognize in particular, His Highness, the Emir of Qatar and I thank him for being here with us,” he said.
The President emphasized that the needed Commonwealth is one on the frontline of global challenges not on the periphery, watching events unfold.
He said that the bloc’s special strength is to bring issues into focus that might otherwise be overlooked.
Kagame pointed out an example of climate change and the way new technologies can be leveraged to create high quality global jobs for the youth.
“We are united by a shared language whether English is our first, second, third, or even fourth one. But what really defines us, are the values enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter and the commitment to good governance, the rule of law and the protection of rights. That is why we shall always be open to new voices and new members,” he noted.
The Secretary-General of Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland said that members have shared interests and practical advantages where they are the most significant grouping of countries in the history of the world ‘which is bound, above all, by values which we all aspire to’.
“These values of peace and justice, of tolerance, respect and solidarity – and our role as the foremost international champion for small and vulnerable states – remain our enduring responsibility,” she noted.
The Prince of Wales, representing Queen Elizabeth II as Head of the Commonwealth, emphasised the great value she has placed on the common friendship, humanities and values of the Commonwealth.
“As we build back from the pandemic that has devastated so many lives, as we respond to climate change and biodiversity loss that threatens our very existence, and as we see lives destroyed by the unattenuated aggression from violent forces, such friendships are more important than ever.
Our Commonwealth family is and will always remain a free association of independent self-governing nations. We meet and talk as equals, sharing our knowledge and experiences for the betterment of all citizens of the Commonwealth, and indeed the wider world,” he said.
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, highlighted the various global challenges confronting global leaders, including climate change, ensuring girls’ education and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
As outgoing Chair-In-Office, he thanked member countries, stating: “As I pass on this responsibility (as Chair-in-Office) to President Paul Kagame, a close friend and a partner, I know that he shares my boundless optimism about the future of the Commonwealth at the forefront of the international agenda and benefitting all our peoples.”
The opening ceremony featured performances by the National Ballet of Rwanda and the Rwanda School of Creative Arts and Music.
It follows four days of Commonwealth forums on youth, women, business and civil society, high profile side events and preparatory ministerial meetings.
Over the next two days, heads and their representatives will meet in executive sessions and a leaders’ retreat to discuss shared priorities that will shape the work programmes of the organisation.
Discussions will cover issues related to democracy, peace and governance, sustainable and inclusive development, and post-COVID 19 recovery. Leaders will also decide on the post of Secretary-General.
A final communiqué capturing the outcomes of their deliberations will be issued at the conclusion of CHOGM on Saturday 26th June.
The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 independent and equal sovereign states. Its combined population is 2.5 billion, of which more than 60 per cent is aged 29 or under.
The Commonwealth spans the globe and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. Thirty-two of members are small states, many of which are island nations.
The Commonwealth Secretariat supports member countries to build democratic and inclusive institutions, strengthen governance and promote justice and human rights.
Its work helps to grow economies and boost trade, deliver national resilience, empower young people, and address threats such as climate change, debt and inequality.
Member countries are supported by a network of more than 80 intergovernmental, civil society, cultural and professional organisations.
The Head of State hosted the State Banquet at Kigali Convention Centre on the evening of Thursday 23rd June 2022.
As he addressed participants, Kagame said that the world went through tough moments where he started wondering if the event planned four years ago would ever come.
“We have lived through a lot since 2020. Each of our countries, our regions and the Commonwealth as a whole. The Covid pandemic was a terrible moment in history which sh0pwed us yet again the value of cooperation and community. We can’t prosper without working together,” he said.
Kagame thanked participants of the event for making the trip to Rwanda.
“It is a huge honour to us. Thank you for staying the course with us, despite all the ups and downs during the pandemic. Above all, I thank you for the trust you have placed in Rwanda, to serve as host of the Commonwealth family of nations and as incoming Chair-in-Office,” he stated.
The President also commended the Commonwealth Secretariat for having worked with Rwanda to organize the meeting and leaders gracing the event as well.
“I want to thank all the special guests who have travelled here to enrich our deliberations. Your presence and participation demonstrate that the Commonwealth has a meaningful role to play, in shaping the global agenda,” he noted.
“I would like two of our special guests in particular. One is Gianni Infantino, the President of FIFA. He often says, football is the only sport. Do you believe him? He wants you to believe him. Well, we can agree that football has a unique ability to bring people together. So does cricket,” added Kagame.
Through football, Kagame said, people can communicate and understand each other wherever they are from.
The second guest to whom he extended special thanks is the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The Head of State described him as a friend of and partner of so many Commonwealth countries.
“His country has deep historical ties to the Commonwealth. Qatar, under his leadership, is at the forefront of finding solutions to some of the most urgent challenges of the day, from energy, security, to humanitarian response in the Middle East, and the global fight against corruption,” stated Kagame.
The Heads of Government are convening in a meeting this Friday expected to admit two new members of Commonwealth including Togo and Gabon and elect the new Secretary-General.
The ground-breaking event of BioNTech Group vaccine manufacturing facility, based on BioNTainer modular system was attended by different dignitaries including the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo; the CEO of BioNTech, Prof Dr Uğur Şahin; the Chairperson of African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat; the Director General of World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Senegalese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aïssata Tall Sall among others.
President Kagame has said that the ground-breaking event is a great milestone leading to vaccine equity.
“This groundbreaking is really a historic milestone towards vaccine equity. Rwanda intends to build on this investment by putting in place the conditions to attract other manufacturers and innovators,” he said.
““Rwanda fully supports BioNTech’s commitment to power this factory entirely with green energy, and we will work together closely to achieve that. Vaccine manufacturing requires advanced regulatory capability as well as a highly-skilled human capital. I am happy to announce that the cabinet has approved the establishment of the African Biomanufacturing Institute,” Kagame added.
The Head of State highlighted that the institute ‘will provide training and qualification for this industry’.
“Working together with different universities and training providers as well as private sector partners like BioNTech, this innovative institution will provide solution for workforce development from short courses through to graduate degrees,” he noted.
The President also disclosed that Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority (Rwanda FDA) has signed a twinning agreement with the European Union.
“Through a consortium led by France, Germany and Belgium; our regulatory capacity will gain expertize and support from these partner agencies,” he said.
The CEO of BioNTech, Prof Uğur Şahin has explained that they want to enter first clinical trial of Malaria and Tuberculosis vaccines by the end of this year and beginning next year.
“It is clear to us that this potential future vaccines among other life-saving medicines must be produced in Africa, for Africa,” he said.
Prof Uğur Şahin further revealed that the company wants to launch state-of-the art mRNA vaccine factory for the production of vaccines in about 18 months.
He underscored that the vaccines to be manufactured will help to be better prepared for possible future pandemics.
Africa seeks to manufacture 60% of needed vaccines in 20 years from the current 1 percent.
Johnson has arrived in Rwanda to attend Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2022 taking place in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.
“President Kagame received the Rt. Hon Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom who is in Kigali for #CHOGM2022. The two leaders held talks on existing partnerships between Rwanda and the UK including the recent Migration and Economic Development Partnership,” Rwanda’s Presidency has revealed via Twitter handle.
Rwanda and UK signed the partnership on 14th April 2022. Under this partnership, the UK will provide an upfront investment of £120 million to fund invaluable opportunities for Rwandans and migrants including secondary qualifications, vocational and skills training, language lessons and higher education.
These asylum seekers from African countries and others outside the continent will be treated decently like Rwandans upon arrival. It is expected that those willing to return to their mother lands will be helped to do so.
The plane carrying the first batch of migrants deported from UK to Rwanda under the recently signed Migration and Economic Development Partnership was expected to land in Kigali on Wednesday 15th June 2022.
Few hours before scheduled time for the plane to take off, the flight was stopped after a late intervention from the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) led to fresh challenges in the UK courts.
After the judgement from the ECtHR, passengers were removed from the plane which had to take off on Tuesday at 11:30 p.m. of Kigali Time.
The human rights court said that it had suspended the deportation of one migrant from Iraq who was onboard the plane.
It also maintained that UK must wait for the final judgement next month before further action.
Following the last minute cancellation; the Spokesperson of the Government of Rwanda, Yolande Makolo has said that Rwanda remains committed to welcome the migrants when they arrive.
“We are not deterred by these developments. Rwanda remains fully committed to making this partnership work. The current situation of people making dangerous journeys cannot continue as it is causing untold suffering to so many,” she said.
“Rwanda stands ready to receive the migrants when they do arrive and offer them safety and opportunity in our country,” added Makolo.
The second day of his visit to Rwanda, on Wednesday 22nd June 2022, was marked by different activities including a visit to Kigali Genocide Memorial, holding talks with President Paul Kagame among others.
Prince Charles who was accompanied by the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla is in Rwanda the first time to represent Queen Elizabeth II.
Below are activities that marked the second-day visit of Prince Charles to Rwanda.
{{Kigali Genocide Memorial}}
Prince Charles started his visits to Kigali Genocide Memorial, where he received a tour of the Memorial’s exhibits, including personal effects and photographs of the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
Outside, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall were shown the mass graves beside the Wall of Names and paid tribute to victims laid there.
The Kigali Genocide Memorial is the final resting place for more than 250,000 victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and was officially opened in 2004, to mark the tenth commemoration of the Genocide.
The centre serves as a place where survivors can grieve for and remember their lost loved ones. It also serves as a museum where both local and international visitors can learn about the history and consequences of the Genocide.
{{Meeting with President Kagame and First Lady}}
Prince Charles and Camilla then travelled to the Office of the President, where they were welcomed by a Guard of Honour from the Republic Guard, before being received on the steps by the President of the Republic of Rwanda, Paul Kagame and the First Lady of the Republic of Rwanda, Jeannette Kagame.
{{Nyamata Genocide Memorial}}
Following meetings at the Office of the President, The Prince of Wales visited the Nyamata Genocide Memorial, one of Rwanda’s six National Genocide Memorials.
Having looked inside the church to observe the clothing and personal effects of the victims, The Prince of Wales moved outside to lay a wreath on the mass grave, before pausing for a moment of reflection and signing the visitors book.
{{Mbyo Reconciliation Village}}
After visiting the Nyamata Genocide Memorial, The Prince travelled to the Mbyo Reconciliation Village, where he was welcomed by local leaders, and traditional singing and dancing by the villagers.
He then met with six Genocide survivors and perpetrators, who now live together in the village and listened to a testimony from both a survivor and perpetrator.
The Mbyo Reconciliation Village is one of eight similar reconciliation villages in Rwanda, where survivors and perpetrators of the Genocide against the Tutsi live alongside each other. The Perpetrators re-integrate into society by publicly apologizing for their crimes and the survivors profess their forgiveness.
{{Albertine Rift Conservation Society agroforestry site}}
Concluding day two, The Prince of Wales visited the Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS) agroforestry site. Here, he walked through the tree nursery and learnt more about the work ARCOS is doing to enhance biodiversity conservation and the sustainable management of natural resources.
The Prince of Wales then continued towards the bank of the wetland, where he witnessed a solar-powered irrigation system and heard about efforts to conserve the wetland through changes to cultivation practices.
{{Meeting with President Kagame at Urugwiro Village}}
{{Visit to Kigali Genocide Memorial}}
{{Visit to Nyamata Genocide Memorial}}
{{Visit to Mbyo Reconciliation Village}}
{{Albertine Rift Conservation Society agroforestry site visit}}
Rwanda’s Presidency has revealed that the leaders’ discussions held at Urugwiro Village focused on existing partnerships and areas of mutual interest.
Clarence House, the Royal Residence of Prince Charles has via Twitter handle posted a photo and message commending Rwandan President and First Lady Jeannette Kagame for a warm welcome to Rwanda.
Prince Charles arrived in Kigali in the evening of Tuesday 21st June 2022 accompanied by the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla Parker Bowles.
They arrived at Kigali International Airport around 9:00 p.m. onboard Royal Air Force’s plane.
Prince Charles is visiting Rwanda for the first time where he will represent Queen Elizabeth II at CHOGM 2022.
On Wednesday morning, Prince Charles visited Kigali Genocide Memorial where he paid tribute to victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi laid there.
He was speaking at the the Closing Ceremony of the Commonwealth Women’s Forum in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda on 21st June 2022.
With over 600 delegates registered and almost 60 speakers, delegates from all over the Commonwealth discussed issues as diverse as women’s leadership, economic empowerment, preventing violence against women and girls, climate change, cervical cancer, peace and security as well as how to hold governments accountable on their gender commitments.
Speaking at the closing, the Deputy Secretary-General said: “We’ve heard many examples of inspiring and transformative solutions and actions on advancing gender equality in the Commonwealth and beyond. This gathering of inspiring women and men, tirelessly working towards achieving gender equality, has once again shown us that when we join together to improve the lives of millions of women and girls in our member countries, communities can be transformed for the better.”
Suddhoo went on to outline the main outcomes of the Women’s Forums which will be formalised and provided to Foreign Affairs Ministers ahead of the meeting of the Heads of Government at the end of this week.
{{Commonwealth Business Forum’s outcomes}}
-* A repeated theme was the need for increased resources to strengthen gender equality and women’s empowerment in all spheres.
-* Similarly, the importance of collecting accurate and regular disaggregated data was a repeated theme – without sufficient data, we do not know where gaps and progress are. This is applicable again to all spheres, from ending violence against women and girls, to leadership, to economic empowerment, to the digital economy.
-* The need to link economic empowerment with access to quality education for all was also raised. This includes financial education and literacy, and education for older women.
-* Trade and women’s economic empowerment are deeply interlinked, and the barriers women face are high, including stigma, violence and harassment. The transactional costs are also high, and there is a need for clear and accessible information on taxes and customs for example. It is an opportunity to bring women in the informal sector into the formal sector, and to provide access to finance.
-* The economic empowerment of women is not possible without addressing violence against women and girls first. Listening to survivors’ voices and needs, including in designing and implementing initiatives which engage men and boys, is of fundamental importance in our efforts to end violence. To be effective, this work also requires high-level political commitment and leadership, active participation of us all, as well as allocation of sufficient, sustainable funding.
-* Dignity and respect for older people should not only be promoted but ensured through provision of quality healthcare and palliative care for older people and support careers of the aged; and tackling poverty in old age.
-* Work with governments, businesses and traditional leaders should focus on addressing discrimination against older women, and provision of platforms for intergenerational dialogue not only to recognise the role older people play in our societies, but also to enable transfer of skills between younger and older women.
-* Accountability mechanisms need to take into account the intersectionality of women: disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and age. If these mechanisms are not inclusive, we will undoubtedly leave people behind.
-* Human Capital Development is a key priority for the whole of the Commonwealth. It is increasingly important that skills and literacy are a focus area across sectors so that girls and women are able to fully participate in the digital economy.
-* Lastly while the Commonwealth represents over 30% of the world’s population, it accounts for 40% of the global cervical cancer incidence and 43% of global mortality due to cervical cancer.
-* Cervical cancer is one of the only cancers with proven elimination strategies, namely the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and yet only 13 percent of girls aged 9–14 years globally were vaccinated as of 2020.
-* Cervical cancer elimination is a health equity and social justice concern that transcends gender. Clearing the path to cervical cancer elimination requires combined joint efforts by many actors, including addressing inequity of access to HPV vaccines and screening.
The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 independent and equal sovereign states. Its combined population is 2.5 billion, of which more than 60 per cent is aged 29 or under.
The Commonwealth spans the globe and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. Thirty-two of members are small states, many of which are island nations.
The Commonwealth Secretariat supports member countries to build democratic and inclusive institutions, strengthen governance and promote justice and human rights.
Its work helps to grow economies and boost trade, deliver national resilience, empower young people, and address threats such as climate change, debt and inequality.
Member countries are supported by a network of more than 80 intergovernmental, civil society, cultural and professional organisations.
