The fight to win CHOGM
Jan 01, 2007
WITH the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to be held in Kampala in November this year, <i>The New Vision</i> will every Tuesday have a countdown to the summit by giving special coverage to CHOGM issues including profiling Commonwealth member states in alphabetical order.
WITH the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to be held in Kampala in November this year, The New Vision will every Tuesday have a countdown to the summit by giving special coverage to CHOGM issues including profiling Commonwealth member states in alphabetical order.
By Elizabeth Agiro
TWICE Uganda expressed interest in hosting Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), and twice, she was beaten to it.
The first proposal was in 2001 when President Yoweri Museveni met the Commonwealth Secretary General, Donald McKinnon, for Uganda to host the meeting in 2003.
Nigeria, however, had presented the same proposal and it could not be seen that the two countries were bidding against each other. Uganda decided to back Nigeria, in the hope that she would host it, come 2003. In 2003, Uganda’s proposal coincided with Malta’s, an Island country in the Mediterranean.
With Malta having made a ‘special request’ to host CHOGM after accession to the European Union, Uganda did not stand a chance. Once again, Uganda pulled out. It was during CHOGM in Malta in 2005 that Uganda was confirmed host of CHOGM in 2007.
However, in order for a country to host the Commonwealth meeting, they must abide by rules set during CHOGM in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1991.
This agreement promoted democracy, good governance, human rights and the rule of law, gender equality and sustainable economic and social development.
The above was largely confirmed during the meeting in Malta. They reaffirmed the pledge of peace and security, condemning terrorism, liability and freedom of declaration, among others.
President Museveni, however, came under fire about the arrest of former presidential candidate and opposition leader Kiiza Besigye, which almost cost Uganda the Commonwealth.
The arrest and a ban on demonstrations and debate on the issue cast doubt over whether Uganda was capable of abiding by the Harare Declaration. In the end, Uganda won.
According to CHOGM spokesman Kagole Kivumbi there was scepticism on whether Uganda would host CHOGM, but it is how you measure up to the Harare Declaration. He said on a scale of 1-10, Uganda scored 10.
He also noted that during a House of Lords meeting in the United Kingdom, one Lord compared Nigeria and Ugandan governments and the political situations.
He noted that economic development was another of Uganda’s strong points.
The summit is held every two years. Trinidad and Tobago hosts the next in 2009.
By Elizabeth Agiro
TWICE Uganda expressed interest in hosting Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), and twice, she was beaten to it.
The first proposal was in 2001 when President Yoweri Museveni met the Commonwealth Secretary General, Donald McKinnon, for Uganda to host the meeting in 2003.
Nigeria, however, had presented the same proposal and it could not be seen that the two countries were bidding against each other. Uganda decided to back Nigeria, in the hope that she would host it, come 2003. In 2003, Uganda’s proposal coincided with Malta’s, an Island country in the Mediterranean.
With Malta having made a ‘special request’ to host CHOGM after accession to the European Union, Uganda did not stand a chance. Once again, Uganda pulled out. It was during CHOGM in Malta in 2005 that Uganda was confirmed host of CHOGM in 2007.
However, in order for a country to host the Commonwealth meeting, they must abide by rules set during CHOGM in Harare, Zimbabwe in 1991.
This agreement promoted democracy, good governance, human rights and the rule of law, gender equality and sustainable economic and social development.
The above was largely confirmed during the meeting in Malta. They reaffirmed the pledge of peace and security, condemning terrorism, liability and freedom of declaration, among others.
President Museveni, however, came under fire about the arrest of former presidential candidate and opposition leader Kiiza Besigye, which almost cost Uganda the Commonwealth.
The arrest and a ban on demonstrations and debate on the issue cast doubt over whether Uganda was capable of abiding by the Harare Declaration. In the end, Uganda won.
According to CHOGM spokesman Kagole Kivumbi there was scepticism on whether Uganda would host CHOGM, but it is how you measure up to the Harare Declaration. He said on a scale of 1-10, Uganda scored 10.
He also noted that during a House of Lords meeting in the United Kingdom, one Lord compared Nigeria and Ugandan governments and the political situations.
He noted that economic development was another of Uganda’s strong points.
The summit is held every two years. Trinidad and Tobago hosts the next in 2009.