What is the Commonwealth?
COMMONWEALTH is a voluntary association of 53 independent sovereign states, the majority of which are colonies of the former British Empire, with the exception of Mozambique.
COMMONWEALTH is a voluntary association of 53 independent sovereign states, the majority of which are colonies of the former British Empire, with the exception of Mozambique.
It was established by an evolutionary process formalised on December 31, 1931 in the Statute of Westminster, which stated that all members of the association were equal in status and in no way subordinate to one another, though united by allegiance to the Crown.
According to the Political Handbook of the World, the commonwealth was to give expression to a continuing sense of affinity and to foster cooperation among states presently or formerly owing allegiance to the British Crown.
Commonwealth dates as far back as the mid 1800s when internal self-government was first introduced in the colonies of Australia, British North America (Canada), New Zealand and part of what was to become the Union of South Africa.
The Commonwealth’s membership includes both republics and monarchies and the appointed head of the Commonwealth of Nations is Queen Elizabeth II. She also reigns as monarch directly in a number of states, known as Commonwealth Realms, among them are the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand.
Special Commonwealth members are Nauru (1968) and Tuvalu (1978), who can participate in the functional meetings and activities and are eligible for commonwealth technical assistance but do not participate in the heads of government meetings.
However, the original members of the commonwealth, in addition to the United Kingdom, were Australia, Canada, the Irish Free State, Newfoundland, New Zealand and the Union of South Africa.
In 1949, Newfoundland became a province of Canada and the Irish Republic became an independent state outside the commonwealth.
South Africa ceased to be a member upon becoming a republic in 1961. Uganda was also suspended from the commonwealth during dictator Idi Amin’s regime in the 1970s. Good governance is a requirement for Commonwealth membership. Pakistan withdrew in 1972, but rejoined in 1989.
The Commonwealth is primarily an organisation in which countries with diverse economic backgrounds have an opportunity for close and equal interaction.
The primary activities of the Commonwealth are designed to create an atmosphere of economic co-operation between member nations, as well as the promotion of democracy, human rights, and good governance in those nations.
The commonwealth was virtually without permanent machinery until the establishment of its secretariat in 1965.
The head of the organisation is the reigning British monarch, who serves concurrently as constitutional sovereign in those member states that still maintain their traditional allegiance.
In the event that a member country declares itself a republic, the heads of government announce a “lapse†of membership to the association, just like in Fiji’s case.
The political handbook claims that readmission to the commonwealth requires the unanimous consent of the commonwealth members. Fiji’s application remained blocked as of mid 1993 by India on the ground that appropriate constitutional recognition had yet to be given to the Island’s Indian population.
Every four years the Commonwealth’s members celebrate the Commonwealth Games, the world’s second-largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games.
Compiled by Elizabeth Agiro
It was established by an evolutionary process formalised on December 31, 1931 in the Statute of Westminster, which stated that all members of the association were equal in status and in no way subordinate to one another, though united by allegiance to the Crown.
According to the Political Handbook of the World, the commonwealth was to give expression to a continuing sense of affinity and to foster cooperation among states presently or formerly owing allegiance to the British Crown.
Commonwealth dates as far back as the mid 1800s when internal self-government was first introduced in the colonies of Australia, British North America (Canada), New Zealand and part of what was to become the Union of South Africa.
The Commonwealth’s membership includes both republics and monarchies and the appointed head of the Commonwealth of Nations is Queen Elizabeth II. She also reigns as monarch directly in a number of states, known as Commonwealth Realms, among them are the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand.
Special Commonwealth members are Nauru (1968) and Tuvalu (1978), who can participate in the functional meetings and activities and are eligible for commonwealth technical assistance but do not participate in the heads of government meetings.
However, the original members of the commonwealth, in addition to the United Kingdom, were Australia, Canada, the Irish Free State, Newfoundland, New Zealand and the Union of South Africa.
In 1949, Newfoundland became a province of Canada and the Irish Republic became an independent state outside the commonwealth.
South Africa ceased to be a member upon becoming a republic in 1961. Uganda was also suspended from the commonwealth during dictator Idi Amin’s regime in the 1970s. Good governance is a requirement for Commonwealth membership. Pakistan withdrew in 1972, but rejoined in 1989.
The Commonwealth is primarily an organisation in which countries with diverse economic backgrounds have an opportunity for close and equal interaction.
The primary activities of the Commonwealth are designed to create an atmosphere of economic co-operation between member nations, as well as the promotion of democracy, human rights, and good governance in those nations.
The commonwealth was virtually without permanent machinery until the establishment of its secretariat in 1965.
The head of the organisation is the reigning British monarch, who serves concurrently as constitutional sovereign in those member states that still maintain their traditional allegiance.
In the event that a member country declares itself a republic, the heads of government announce a “lapse†of membership to the association, just like in Fiji’s case.
The political handbook claims that readmission to the commonwealth requires the unanimous consent of the commonwealth members. Fiji’s application remained blocked as of mid 1993 by India on the ground that appropriate constitutional recognition had yet to be given to the Island’s Indian population.
Every four years the Commonwealth’s members celebrate the Commonwealth Games, the world’s second-largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games.
Compiled by Elizabeth Agiro