By Khalifa Hemed
Published May 8, 2-021
The Commonwealth of Nations has, for the second time, postponed its the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) which was to have been held in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, in June 2020 but was postponed to 2021 due to the impact of COVID-19.
CHOGM, the Commonwealth’s highest consultative and policy-making gathering, is customarily held every two years. Rwanda had been selected during the gathering in London in 2018 as host for the next summit in 2020. However the leaders’ summit, which is preceded by meetings for representatives from Commonwealth networks for youth, women, civil society and business, was affected by the outbreak of the Coronavirus that was declared a pandemic in 2020 and was pushed to 2021.
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A statement sent to the media by the Commonwealth Secretariat on May 7, 2021 says
President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, and Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland have announced the ‘postponement of CHOGM 2021 as a result of the continuing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic’.
“Having reviewed all available evidence and risk assessments including with the World Health Organization (WHO) and their risk assessment tool, and after close consultation between the Commonwealth Secretariat and Member States, the decision has been made to postpone the CHOGM in Kigali for a second time,” the statement reads.
“The decision to postpone CHOGM for a second time has not been taken lightly. The health and welfare of all Commonwealth citizens at this critical time must take precedence. We look forward to welcoming the Commonwealth family to Kigali for CHOGM at the appropriate time,” President Kagame says.
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On her part, The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC says: “We know that the COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to have a hugely damaging impact on our member countries, many of whom continue to face huge losses to lives and livelihoods. And while it is with deep disappointment and regret that we cannot bring Commonwealth leaders together at this time to discuss many of these critical issues, we must be mindful of the huge risks large meetings pose to all.
“I want to thank the Government and people of Rwanda for their professionalism, support, patience and their impeccable readiness to hold CHOGM. And I want to thank all our member countries and, in particular, the United Kingdom as our Chair-in-Office and India, who have suffered so grievously in these trying times. I look forward warmly to a time when we can be reunited with the Commonwealth family, face-to-face, in Rwanda when the conditions allow for us to do so safely and securely.”
