THE 26TH EDITION of the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) is finally here, having previously been postponed twice due to Covid-19. Over 5,000 delegates have descended on the capital Kigali for the first CHOGM in four years – 13 years since Rwanda joined the organisation. The 2022 CHOGM edition takes place at a time the world is grappling with a host of challenges, including the pandemic and the recovery effort, as well as wars and rising cost of living. These are challenges that call for bold global leadership and an inclusive, honest conversation among government leaders, private sector, civil society and citizens, and Commonwealth populations will be hoping their representatives at the gathering will deeply engage and interact around these issues with a sense of purpose. Given the current global context, this year’s Meeting could not have a more apt theme, with discussions running around, ‘Delivering a Common Future: Connecting, Innovating, Transforming’. This reflects the acknowledgment by Commonwealth leaders that the bloc, which brings together some 2.5 billion people from 54 countries, has a key role to play in finding solutions to the most pressing world problems, ranging from climate change, youth unemployment and inequality to health crises, unsustainable debt, and extremism and violence. A closer look at the CHOGM agenda reveals a deliberate effort to make the discussions as inclusive as possible with dedicated forums for specific segments, notably the youth, women, people (civil society) and businesses, each focusing on issues that affect them directly, with a view to drawing up a list of actionable recommendations. Indeed, the outcomes of these forums are expected to help inform the deliberations of the Heads of State and Government later in the week. In Kigali, leaders have an opportunity to not only reaffirm shared Commonwealth values but to listen to and interact with the people and incorporate their concerns and recommendations into their national strategies as well as Commonwealth programmes – and to build on that to contribute toward a better world for all. For the people of Rwanda, hosting CHOGM speaks to how far we’ve come as a country but we should look at it not as an end in itself but a means to build on our progress to make further sustainable gains. From our youth and women to our businesses and civil society, we should seize the opportunity to connect and network with peers from around the Commonwealth family, with a view to learning from best practices and creating meaningful, lasting partnerships.
