Prince Charles, the heir-apparent to the British throne has announced that he and his wife, Camilla, will be in Kigali for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) slated for June this year.
The Prince of Wales, the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II, made the announcement on March 14, an occasion for all 54 member countries of the Commonwealth to celebrate Commonwealth Day.
Rwanda marked the day by hoisting the Commonwealth flag at the Kigali Convention Centre (KCC) by officers of Rwanda National Police.
Postponed for two consecutive years due to Covid-19, CHOGM will take place in Kigali during the week of June 20.
"As the world works to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, and in this Jubilee year, it is more important than ever that the countries of the Commonwealth come together,” says Prince Charles in a statement from Clarence House.
Clarence House is the official residence of Prince Charles and his wife, also known as the Duchess of Cornwall.
"As a family of some 2.6 billion people from 54 nations across six continents, the Commonwealth represents a rich diversity of traditions, experience and talents which can help to build a more equal, sustainable and prosperous future,” adds Prince Charles in a statement.
"With this shared sense of common purpose, and in view of recent, enforced postponements, my wife and I are delighted to be attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, in June.”
When the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, was in Rwanda in March 2021, she said that the host country is ‘absolutely ready’ for CHOGM.
Since then, even after the second postponement, Rwanda continues to make strides in preparations for the high-level meeting.
The leaders’ summit will be preceded by meetings for representatives from Commonwealth networks for youth, women, civil society, and business actors discussing current political, economic, social and environmental issues.
The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 independent and equal countries. Representing a third of the world it is home to 2.6 billion people and includes both advanced economies and developing countries.