What CHOGM is all about
IN November, Uganda will be the 20th country to host the Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting (CHOGM). The first summit was held in Singapore in 1971 and since then, one is held every two years.
By Edna Mubiru
IN November, Uganda will be the 20th country to host the Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting (CHOGM). The first summit was held in Singapore in 1971 and since then, one is held every two years.
The commonwealth meetings are held behind closed doors, so disagreements are never known. All decisions are reached by consensus. There is no voting to decide on any issues.
It is the grande finale to the series of meetings and that is where resolutions are made. Issues that are tabled and not resolved are passed on to the next CHOGM untill agreements are reached by consensus.
The president of the host country chairs the meeting. So the Kampala summit will be chaired by President Yoweri Museveni. CHOGM host countries are decided four years in advance. The decision that Uganda would host the 2007 CHOGM was made in Abuja, Nigeria in 2003 and reaffirmed in Malta in 2005.
The meetings of the commonwealth have been called different names depending on the period of time in history. In 1887, the first equivalent of CHOGM was called the Colonial Conferences since the members were still colonies of Britain.
Later, they were called the Imperial Conferences between 1911 and 1937. They then became the Prime Ministers’ Meetings in 1944 and in the 1960s during the era of British colonies, turning into independent states and were held almost annually in London.
After independence, most post-colonial countries had executive presidents. The title, CHOGM, was then adopted in 1971 to encampass both presidents and prime ministers. The purpose of CHOGM is for the member states to agree on collective policies and initiatives. There are various meetings that precede CHOGM. For instance, in June this year, the Commonwealth women ministers met in Uganda.
The pre-CHOGM meetings referred to as forums provide material for deliberations by the heads-of-state. Uganda will host the first-ever People’s Forum. The People’s Forum is being created to provide a bold, exciting and inclusive experience for people other than the official delegates to be part of the Commonwealth People’s Forum and CHOGM experiences. It will be held at Hotel Africana from November 19—23.
Others include; the Business Forum to be held from November 20—22 at Sheraton Kampala Hotel and the Youth Forum which will be held from November 14–21 at Entebbe Botanical Beach Hotel. The foreign ministers’ meeting will take place from November 21– 22 at the Kampala Serena Hotel ahead of CHOGM.
The children have already held a meeting where they tabled the issues they want the CHOGM to address.
The heads of governments meeting will be held from November 23-25 at Speke Resort, Munyonyo.
Work is going on day and night because the heads-of-government have to hold the meeting in a retreat setting.
They deliberate over issues in a relaxed environment and what better place than Munyonyo, with the cool breeze from Lake Victoria calming their minds.
The heads-of-government come together to discuss issues of significance to the entire Commonwealth in relation to democracy and good governance, peace and tolerance and information society.
However, complaints about African issues and problems over-running other regions have been raised, but Africa is the one most riddled by socio-economic and political problems.
IN November, Uganda will be the 20th country to host the Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting (CHOGM). The first summit was held in Singapore in 1971 and since then, one is held every two years.
The commonwealth meetings are held behind closed doors, so disagreements are never known. All decisions are reached by consensus. There is no voting to decide on any issues.
It is the grande finale to the series of meetings and that is where resolutions are made. Issues that are tabled and not resolved are passed on to the next CHOGM untill agreements are reached by consensus.
The president of the host country chairs the meeting. So the Kampala summit will be chaired by President Yoweri Museveni. CHOGM host countries are decided four years in advance. The decision that Uganda would host the 2007 CHOGM was made in Abuja, Nigeria in 2003 and reaffirmed in Malta in 2005.
The meetings of the commonwealth have been called different names depending on the period of time in history. In 1887, the first equivalent of CHOGM was called the Colonial Conferences since the members were still colonies of Britain.
Later, they were called the Imperial Conferences between 1911 and 1937. They then became the Prime Ministers’ Meetings in 1944 and in the 1960s during the era of British colonies, turning into independent states and were held almost annually in London.
After independence, most post-colonial countries had executive presidents. The title, CHOGM, was then adopted in 1971 to encampass both presidents and prime ministers. The purpose of CHOGM is for the member states to agree on collective policies and initiatives. There are various meetings that precede CHOGM. For instance, in June this year, the Commonwealth women ministers met in Uganda.
The pre-CHOGM meetings referred to as forums provide material for deliberations by the heads-of-state. Uganda will host the first-ever People’s Forum. The People’s Forum is being created to provide a bold, exciting and inclusive experience for people other than the official delegates to be part of the Commonwealth People’s Forum and CHOGM experiences. It will be held at Hotel Africana from November 19—23.
Others include; the Business Forum to be held from November 20—22 at Sheraton Kampala Hotel and the Youth Forum which will be held from November 14–21 at Entebbe Botanical Beach Hotel. The foreign ministers’ meeting will take place from November 21– 22 at the Kampala Serena Hotel ahead of CHOGM.
The children have already held a meeting where they tabled the issues they want the CHOGM to address.
The heads of governments meeting will be held from November 23-25 at Speke Resort, Munyonyo.
Work is going on day and night because the heads-of-government have to hold the meeting in a retreat setting.
They deliberate over issues in a relaxed environment and what better place than Munyonyo, with the cool breeze from Lake Victoria calming their minds.
The heads-of-government come together to discuss issues of significance to the entire Commonwealth in relation to democracy and good governance, peace and tolerance and information society.
However, complaints about African issues and problems over-running other regions have been raised, but Africa is the one most riddled by socio-economic and political problems.