Commonwealth Day is an opportunity each year to celebrate the connections and diversity of the Commonwealth’s 54 nations. The Commonwealth makes up a third of the world’s population, spanning 2.5 billion people from every continent and ocean, and every level of development.

In the year of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, we will celebrate the dedication of Her Majesty, serving 70 years both as Monarch and as Head of the Commonwealth. And in this Commonwealth week, more than any other, it is right to reflect on the significance of the Commonwealth’s shared values of freedom, peace and democracy as enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter.

For Rwanda, Commonwealth Day holds special significance as its theme of ‘Delivering a Common Future’ mirrors the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). In June, the eyes of the world will turn to Rwanda as the full Commonwealth family will gather in Kigali, with world leaders, global business and development partners, and civil society will meeting in Kigali as the UK hands over the role of Chair-in-Office to Rwanda.

As Chair-in-Office since CHOGM in London in 2018, the UK has worked with Commonwealth partners to:

·      Create a fairer future by supporting women’s empowerment through trade initiatives. By 2021, the SheTrades Commonwealth programme had generated over £32m in sales for Women Owned Businesses in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Bangladesh.

·      Create a more sustainable future by mobilising over US$45m of climate finance, through the UK co-funded Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub, to support climate-vulnerable Commonwealth countries.

·      Create a more secure future by ensuring all Commonwealth countries have benefited from UK cyber security capacity building.

·      Create a more prosperous future by making rapid progress securing trade agreements with 32 Commonwealth countries.

In the run-up to Commonwealth Day, the British High Commission here has organised a country-wide School Debating Competition to engage young Rwandan people on the issues which will shape their future.

From Musanze to Rwamagana, Nyanza to Rubavu we have been struck by the passion and skills of Rwandan students in developing ideas which could shape the development their communities and country, and the wider Commonwealth family.

The British High Commission is proud to play a role in empowering the voices of young people as they seek to transform the future.

Now, as we turn to CHOGM, the British High Commission will continue to work closely with the Government of Rwanda to help ensure that, as incoming Chair-in-Office, Rwanda can continue to bring Commonwealth member states together to address some of the world’s biggest challenges, such as climate action and the global economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Beyond CHOGM, the UK is looking forward to the Birmingham hosted Commonwealth Games which we hope will bring together all 72 nations and territories of the Commonwealth in the spirit of friendly competition.

As outgoing Chair-in-Office, we reaffirm our continuing commitment to the Commonwealth, as an institution that brings great benefits to diverse communities all around the world, and our shared values and aspirations as set out in the Commonwealth Charter.

Background

·      The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 independent member states, which includes 19 African countries, united by the shared values and aspirations set out in the Commonwealth Charter.

·      Her Majesty The Queen has carried out the symbolic role of Head of the Commonwealth since her coronation. Leaders agreed at CHOGM 2018 that the next Head of the Commonwealth shall be High Royal Highness Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales.

The writer is the British High Commissioner to Rwanda/None Resident Ambassador to Burundi. He wrote the article on the occasion of Commonwealth Day that is celebrated on March 14