Politics

Rwanda to host 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

Published

3 years ago

April 24, 2022

For the first time in over a decade, Africa will be hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), this time in Kigali, Rwanda.

Leaders of the Commonwealth countries meet every two years at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Each CHOGM is held in a different member country, with the respective Prime Minister or President as Commonwealth Chair-in-Office. Since 1971, a total of 25 meetings have been held, with the most recent held in London in 2018.

It is the fifth time that Africa will be hosting the CHOGM. First in Zimbabwe in 1991, in SouthAfrica in 1999, Nigeria in 2003, and Uganda in 2007.

The 26th CHOGM will be held in Kigali between June 20 and 26, under the theme ‘Delivering a Common Future: Connecting, Innovating, Transforming.’

While announcing the new date for the meeting, Rwanda’s president, Paul Kagame, said the East African country is pleased to welcome all delegates and participants to Kigali for a safe and productive CHOGM Rwanda 2022.

“The last two years have made it clear to us that we are more connected than ever before and we must work together to achieve the tangible and sustainable results we want,” he said.

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 independent and equal sovereign states. The Commonwealth is home to 2.5 billion people and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. Thirty-two of our members are small states, many of which are island nations. Our shared values and principles are inscribed in the Commonwealth Charter.

A statement by the Commonwealth secretariat said the Prince of Wales, who has attended CHOGM on five previous occasions – Edinburgh in 1997, Uganda in 2007, Sri Lanka in 2013 (representing the Queen), Malta in 2015, and in the U.K in 2018, will attend the meeting in Kigali.

“As the world works to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, and in this Jubilee year, it is more important than ever that the countries of the Commonwealth come together,” the prince was quoted as saying in the statement.

“As a family of some 2.6 billion people from fifty-four nations across six continents, the Commonwealth represents a rich diversity of traditions, experience, and talents that can help to build a more equal, sustainable, and prosperous future.

Related Topics:Commonwealth Featured Rwanda

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Politics

Burkina Faso releases 4 French spies after Moroccan intervention

Published

3 days ago

December 20, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In a diplomatic spat over their imprisonment, France and Morocco announced Thursday that four French nationals detained in Burkina Faso for a year had been freed after mediation from Morocco.

They were spies, according to a prior statement made by the director of France’s foreign intelligence organisation, the DGSE.

A request for comment was not answered by the DGSE or a representative of the French military, which is in charge of the agency.

Since December 2023, they have been held in Ouagadougou.

President Emmanuel Macron hailed King Mohammed of Morocco on Wednesday for his intervention, “which made possible the liberation of our four countrymen who had been held in Burkina Faso for a year,” according to a statement from the French administration.

King Mohammed and President Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso were also commended by Morocco’s foreign ministry, which stated that “this humanitarian act” was made possible by their positive bilateral ties.

In October, France made peace with Morocco, one of its former protectorates, after three years of hostilities between Paris and Rabat stoked by immigration concerns and the disputed Western Sahara region.

Morocco offers Burkina Faso and other military-ruled Sahel republics Atlantic trade.

However, France’s relations with former West and Central African colonies, such as Burkina Faso, remain difficult. In Ouagadougou, French troops and diplomats were ejected, the defence attache and ambassador were asked to depart, and certain French media were suspended.

The military junta that took control in 2022 in Burkina Faso has been criticized by international rights groups for cracking down on free expression and harassing dissidents to handle a security crisis precipitated by Al Qaeda and Islamic State extremists.

Politics

Ghana: President-elect Mahama appoints anti-corruption team

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to a statement released by his transition team on Wednesday, Ghana’s President-elect, John Dramani Mahama, has designated an anti-corruption committee to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

When he takes office next month, Mahama, the leading opposition candidate in the presidential election held on December 7 and who received almost 56% of the vote, has pledged to reclaim the proceeds of corruption and hold those responsible for it accountable.

In anticipation, an anti-graft squad has been established. The parliament’s Committee on Assurances, which has previously raised suspicions of governmental corruption, is chaired by MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah.

An investigative journalist, a private attorney, a former auditor general, and a former police officer with experience in high-profile robbery cases make up the other three members.

After looking into alleged financial irregularities that took place during the previous administration, Daniel Dumelovo, the former auditor general, was fired.

Recovering lost assets and fighting corruption were two of Mahama’s main campaign pledges.

“He intends to hit the ground running on these commitments,” the statement said.

Eight years after leaving office, former President Mahama is back to head the West African country. Despite not being personally contaminated, he faced criticism during his 2012–2016 administration due to claims of political corruption.