COMMONWEALTH YOUTH VOICES: GIBRALTAR’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMONWEALTH
COMMONWEALTH YOUTH VOICES: GIBRALTAR’S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMONWEALTH AS STRONG AS ITS ROCK Although it is not a member state, Gibraltar has always been proud to have a very close and long-standing relationship with the Commonwealth. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Patron of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, visited Gibraltar for a short period in May 1954 during her post-coronation tour of the Commonwealth and, Gibraltar has, for example, participated in every single Commonwealth Games since its inception in 1958. There has been, in my view, a defining day in the trajectory of Gibraltar’s international relations – the 23 June 2016. This was the day the United Kingdom (UK) voted to leave the European Union (EU) in an in-out referendum, or the ‘Brexit referendum’. Without delving into the complexities that have arisen for Gibraltar as a result of the decision of the British people to leave the EU, it is safe to say that this meant Gibraltar had to very quickly start to look elsewhere and ensure that it built even stronger relationships with countries around the globe with the aim of securing continued socioeconomic prosperity for its people. What better way to build these relationships than by looking towards the Commonwealth? The Commonwealth is home to more than 2.4 billion people, consisting of 54 independent and sovereign states spanning six continents; Asia, Africa, South America, North America, Oceania and Europe. It includes countries which have very large and vibrant economies, like the UK, Nigeria or Canada, as well as other developing countries such as Anguilla, Mozambique or Kiribati. Therefore, in the post-Brexit era in which we find ourselves, Gibraltar cannot afford to ignore a very large political association such as the Commonwealth. Fortunately, Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar has ensured it has used this opportunity and has enhanced its relationships within the Commonwealth family in the months and years that have passed since the Brexit referendum.
Only 11 months after the UK voted to leave the EU, the Chief Minister of Gibraltar, Hon. Fabian Picardo, QC MP announced at a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association dinner held in Gibraltar that on the morning after the UK left the EU, the Commonwealth flag will replace that of the EU at all official Gibraltar Government locations. This happened on the 31 January 2020 and was seen as a powerful statement by the Gibraltar Government to mark the start of an even closer relationship with the Commonwealth. Additionally, the Chief Minister has recognised that “relationships across the Commonwealth are what’s going to make Gibraltar strong and enduring in trade”. These comments are particularly welcome considering that there are, in my opinion, many opportunities waiting to be explored within the Commonwealth. As mentioned earlier, Gibraltar is very proud of its long standing relationship with the institutions, organisations and countries of the Commonwealth. It is a clear reflection of the many similarities we share as part of the Commonwealth family of nations. Gibraltar has a particularly close relationship with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (the CPA), one of the oldest established organisations of the Commonwealth. Gibraltar belongs to the CPA's British Islands and Mediterranean Region and both Government and Opposition Members of Parliament jointly participate in discussions and debates which give Commonwealth countries the opportunity of learning from each other on various issues ranging from parliamentary democracy to climate change. In fact, the Minister for Health, Care and Justice, Hon. Samantha Sacramento, MP, is currently the Chair of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) of the CPA British Islands and Mediterranean Region and has recently returned from Reykjavik, Iceland, after attending the Global Women Political Leaders Forum on behalf of the CWP.
Aaron Santos
is 23 years old and graduated with a BA (Hons) in Politics and International Relations in 2019. Aaron has always had an interest in politics since his early teenage years and in 2016 was very involved in the Gibraltar Stronger IN Europe campaign. As part of the campaign, Aaron took part in a Q&A session with the then Chancellor of the Exchequer Mr Phillip Hammond and was also chosen to meet the then Prime Minister Mr David Cameron, on behalf of the Gibraltar Stronger IN Campaign, during his short visit to Gibraltar. In 2019, following an essay competition, Aaron was selected to represent Gibraltar at the 10th Commonwealth Youth Parliament held in New Delhi, India in November 2019. With special thanks for the coordination of this article to Khadijah Khatun, Youth Representative for the CPA British Islands and Mediterranean Region on the Editorial Advisory Board for The Parliamentarian.
54 | The Parliamentarian | 2022: Issue One | 100 years of publishing
