Rwanda is looking forward to hosting Commonwealth Heads of Government at the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) slated for June next year, President Kagame has said. The President was speaking while co-hosting a Commonwealth reception event alongside British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the sidelines of the 74th United Nations General Assembly. Britain is the current Chair-in-Office for the 53-nation political bloc. “As the newest Commonwealth member, Rwanda is honoured to host next year’s Heads of Government Meeting. We look forward to welcoming you all and the entire Commonwealth family to Kigali next June,” he said. The meeting will among other subjects deliberate on topics such as trade, good governance and equality among others. “Our goal is to bring a fresh perspective on our core themes of trade, good governance, and equality,” he said. The summit will also look into ways to tap into the youth dividend to enable young people access and create good jobs. “Young people are the Commonwealth’s greatest asset. We must guarantee them equal access to the technology and skills needed to get good jobs, and even start their own businesses,” he added. He said that the consensus on the organisation’s values was evidence that cooperation necessary to build an equal and world. “The consensus around the Commonwealth’s fundamental political values, shows that cooperation remains the best way to build a better and more equal world, for everybody,” he said. On Tuesday, President Paul Kagame and Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland announced that CHOGM 2020 will be held at the Kigali Convention Centre during the week starting June 22, around the theme ‘Delivering A Common Future: Connecting, Innovating, Transforming’. Rwanda joined the grouping in November 2009, and is currently one of the only two member countries with no colonial ties with the United Kingdom – the other being Mozambique. The Commonwealth is home to 2.4 billion people and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. Between 8,000 and 10,000 delegates are expected to attend CHOGM for both the main meeting and other side engagements.
