2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

The summit’s theme was “One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Common Wealth". The stated aim of the meeting was to strengthen "resilient democratic institutions upholding human rights, democracy, and the rule of law". It also claimed to seek to combat climate change, in particular with regard to its impact on small states and island states.{{cite web |title=Samoa makes resilience CHOGM's theme as fight over financing looms |url=https://www.commonwealthroundtable.co.uk/general/eye-on-the-commonwealth/samoa-makes-resilience-chogms-theme-as-fight-over-financing-looms/ |website=Commonwealth Roundtable |date=6 October 2023 |publisher=The Commonwealth |access-date=30 October 2023}}

There was an election for a new Commonwealth Secretary-General as incumbent Patricia Scotland had indicated in 2022 that she would only serve another two years.{{cite web | url=https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/australian-backed-candidate-fails-in-bid-to-topple-commonwealth-boss-patricia-scotland-20220624-p5awhl.html | title=Australian-backed candidate fails to topple Commonwealth boss Patricia Scotland | date=24 June 2022 }} Ghanian foreign minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey,{{cite news |title=Foreign Affairs minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey eyes Commonwealth Secretary-General position |url=https://www.modernghana.com/news/1289910/foreign-affairs-minister-shirley-ayorkor-botchwey.html |access-date=6 August 2024 |work=Modern Ghana |date=2 February 2024}} Gambian foreign minister Mamadou Tangara, and Senator Joshua Septiba of Lesotho announced their candidacies for the position.{{cite news |title=Dr Tangara, 2 others vie for Commonwealth SG position |url=https://thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/headlines/dr-tangara-2-others-vie-for-commonwealth-sg-position |access-date=6 August 2024 |work=The Point |date=18 July 2024}} All three candidates called for

financial reparations or “reparative justice” for countries that have been harmed by slavery or colonialism.{{cite news |last1=Savage |first1=Rachel |title=Candidates to lead Commonwealth urge reparations for slavery and colonialism |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/sep/11/candidates-to-lead-commonwealth-urge-reparations-for-slavery-and-colonialism |access-date=11 September 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=11 September 2024}} Botchwey was chosen as the next secretary-general on 26 October.{{cite news |title=Commonwealth Announces Ghana Foreign Minister As New Secretary General |url=https://www.barrons.com/news/commonwealth-announces-ghana-foreign-minister-as-new-secretary-general-bd700cd7 |access-date=26 October 2024 |work=Barron's |agency=Agence France Presse |date=26 October 2024}}

File:Prime Minister Keir Starmer attends CHOGM Summit in Samoa -Day 2 (54090869507).jpg

In his opening address, the King referred to “the existential threat of climate change” as an “urgent challenge”.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-25 |title=UK and Australia embark on new climate and energy partnership |url=https://www.euronews.com/green/2024/10/25/green-hydrogen-and-offshore-wind-uk-and-australia-to-collaborate-on-climate-and-energy |access-date=2024-10-27 |website=euronews |language=en}}

Commonwealth leaders adopted the 'Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration for One Resilient Common Future', which called on all 56 Commonwealth nations to protect the ocean in the face of rising sea levels, pollution and over-exploitation. It called for recognizing maritime boundaries as fixed, even if rising sea levels cause islands to be submerged.{{cite news |title=Commonwealth leaders say sinking nations should keep their maritime boundaries |url=https://theprint.in/environment/commonwealth-leaders-say-sinking-nations-should-keep-their-maritime-boundaries/2329897/ |access-date=26 October 2024 |work=The Print |agency=Reuters |date=26 October 2024}} According to Reuters, this would mean resources such as fishing grounds would continue to belong to an island state even if it became submerged and its people relocated.{{cite news |title=Commonwealth leaders say 'time has come' for discussion on slavery reparations |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/king-charles-queen-camilla-leave-samoas-commonwealth-summit-2024-10-26/ |access-date=26 October 2024 |work=Reuters |date=26 October 2024}}

The declaration also called for protecting oceans, restoring degraded marine ecosystems by 2030, finalising the global plastic pollution treaty, ratifying the high-seas biodiversity treaty, developing coastal climate adaptation plans, and strengthening support for sustainable "blue economies".{{cite news |title=Commonwealth nations adopt 1st ocean declaration as former British colonies seek reparatory justice |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/commonwealth-nations-adopt-1st-ocean-declaration-former-british-115173285 |access-date=October 26, 2024 |work=ABC News |agency=Associated Press |date=October 26, 2024}}

A 'Climate and Energy Partnership' was agreed between Australia and Britain, intended to focus on accelerating renewable energy development by co-operating on such technology as green hydrogen and offshore wind power generation. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that the partnership would “ensure we maximise the economic potential of the net zero transition, and build on our long-standing cooperation on international climate action and shared commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050.”

In August, former Jamaican prime minister PJ Patterson, told the media that reparations for slavery was one of the agenda items to be discussed at the summit.{{cite news |date=August 4, 2024 |title=PJ Patterson welcomes placement of reparations on agenda at next CHOGM |url=https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2024/08/04/pj-patterson-welcomes-placement-reparations-agenda-next-chogm/ |access-date=August 6, 2024 |work=Jamaica Observer}} However, the United Kingdom insisted that reparations was not on the agenda, and that the UK was not considering making any reparation payments.{{cite news |date=14 October 2024 |title=Slavery reparations not on agenda at Commonwealth summit, saying No 10 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/14/slavery-reparations-not-on-agenda-at-commonwealth-summit-says-no-10 |access-date=14 October 2024 |work=The Guardian}} The British government also said there would be no apology for Britain's role in the Atlantic slave trade made at the summit. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, of Caribbean descent, previously expressed a desire for reparations in 2018.{{cite news |date=18 October 2024 |title=No UK apology over slavery at Commonwealth summit |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0qzkg0ldqzo |access-date=19 October 2024 |work=BBC News}}{{Cite web |last=Torrance |first=David |date=8 July 2024 |title=The royal prerogative and ministerial advice |url=https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9877/ |access-date=24 October 2024 |website=commonslibrary.parliament.uk}}

In his speech at the beginning of the summit, the King addressed the issue: "I understand from listening to people across the Commonwealth how the most painful aspects of our past continue to resonate. It is vital, therefore, that we understand our history, to guide us toward making the right choices in future."{{cite news |date=October 25, 2024 |title=King Charles acknowledges 'painful' past amid calls for Commonwealth discussions on reparations |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/king-charles-colonialism-speech-1.7363121 |access-date=October 25, 2024 |work=CBC News}} The King would have been unable to issue an apology for Britain's role in the slave trade without being advised to do so by the government.{{cite news |date=25 October 2024 |title=Why the King can't say 'sorry' for slavery |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg57603d662o |access-date=25 October 2024 |work=BBC News}}{{cite news |title=King Charles acknowledges 'painful' history amid calls for slavery reparations at Commonwealth summit |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/25/asia/king-charles-commonwealth-leaders-meeting-intl/index.html |access-date=October 29, 2024 |work=CNN |issue=October 25, 2024}}

At the conclusion of the summit, a joint communiqué was issued. It affirmed that Commonwealth states "agreed that the time has come for a meaningful, truthful and respectful conversation towards forging a common future based on equity”{{cite news |date=26 October 2024 |title=Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey appointed Commonwealth secretary general |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/26/shirley-ayorkor-botchwey-appointed-commonwealth-secretary-general |access-date=26 October 2024 |work=The Guardian}} and that they would hold conversations to address the “harms” of slavery, particularly those afflicted on women and girls, who “suffered disproportionately from these appalling tragedies in the history of humanity”.{{cite news |date=October 26, 2024 |title=UK Agrees to Hold Talks With Commonwealth on Its Slavery Legacy |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-26/uk-agrees-to-hold-talks-with-commonwealth-on-its-slavery-legacy |access-date=October 26, 2024 |work=Bloomberg}} The statement also said that it recognised that most Commonwealth states in both the Atlantic and Pacific “share common historical experiences in relation to this abhorrent trade, chattel enslavement, the debilitation and dispossession of Indigenous people”. It referred to what it called the “enduring effects” of this history and the practice of 'blackbirding', in which Pacific Islanders were exploited in Australia and other colonies.{{cite news |date=26 October 2024 |title='Time has come': Commonwealth heads agree to reparatory justice dialogue despite reluctant UK |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/oct/26/commonwealth-heads-reparatory-justice-dialogue-despite-reluctant-uk |access-date=26 October 2024 |work=The Guardian}}

Instead of attending the Commonwealth summit, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi attended the 16th BRICS summit, chaired by Vladimir Putin, which was scheduled for the same week in Kazan, Russia. According to The Independent, this is an indication that the two countries "place greater weight on maintaining relations with China and Russia than on the more diffuse attractions of CHOGM".{{cite news |title=Who is attending the Commonwealth summit and what will they talk about? |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/politics-explained/chogm-samoa-commonwealth-slavery-king-charles-brics-b2634436.html |access-date=24 October 2023 |work=The Independent |date=24 October 2023}} In the absence of Prime Minister Modi, India's delegation to the 2024 CHOGM was led by Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju.{{cite news |title=Kiren Rijiju strengthens India-Samoa ties at CHOGM summit, advocates for SIDS and solar energy |url=https://www.indiatodayne.in/national/story/kiren-rijiju-strengthens-india-samoa-ties-at-chogm-summit-advocates-for-sids-and-solar-energy-1110481-2024-10-24 |access-date=October 27, 2024 |work=India Today |date=October 24, 2024}} South Africa's delegation was led by Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Thandi Moraka.{{cite news |last1=Fabricius |first1=Peter |title=Zimbabwe's bid to re-enter Commonwealth set to highlight North-South divide |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-10-23-zimbabwes-bid-to-re-enter-commonwealth-set-to-highlight-north-south-divide/ |access-date=24 October 2024 |work=Daily Maverick |date=27 October 2024}}

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau was also absent from the meeting, due to facing a leadership challenge.{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/king-charles-samoa-chogm-commonwealth-britain-camilla-23e166fdddf6f8fbc4d57d7f29166e0f|title=Charles gets a warm welcome on his first visit as king to Samoa. But uneasy questions await|publisher=Associated Press|date=24 October 2024|access-date=30 October 2024|first1=Charlotte|last1=Graham-McLay|first2=Ayaka|last2=McGill}} Sri Lankan president, Anura Kumara Dissanayake was also absent as he was still transitioning to his presidency.

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2024

Category:21st-century diplomatic conferences

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

Category:Samoa and the Commonwealth of Nations

Category:October 2024 in Oceania