Pretoria – President Jacob Zuma will later this week attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to discuss global issues affecting Commonwealth members.
The summit, to be held under the theme ‘Growth with Equity: Inclusive Development’, will place emphasis on the importance of equity in economic development and that inclusive development should provide opportunities to all members of society.
The leaders during their three-day summit, which starts on Friday, will discuss issues including international peace and security, democracy, good governance, sustainable development, debt management, education, environment, gender equality, health, human rights, information and communication technology, law, multilateral trade issues, small states and youth affairs, among others.
However, due to the summit taking place against the prominent international focus on the 2015 target date for achieving the Millennium Development Goals, the leaders will examine several initiatives on the Post-2015 global development agenda.
Since the CHOGM held in Perth in 2011, the Commonwealth has made significant progress in the reform of the organisation, as called for by the Heads of Government.
Most of the recommendations by the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) in their report, ‘A Commonwealth of the People: Time for Urgent Reform’, including the strengthening of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) and the adoption of a Charter, were formally approved.
The Charter of the Commonwealth, a codification of the values and principles of the Organisation, was a ground-breaking development for the Organisation and was signed by Queen Elizabeth II, as Head of the Commonwealth, on 11 March 2013.
President Zuma will be accompanied by the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, who will precede the Pre-CHOGM foreign ministers’ meeting. - SAnews.gov.za
