THE COMMONWEALTH AT 70: AN INTERCONNECTED COMMONWEALTH
THE COMMONWEALTH AT 70: AN INTERCONNECTED COMMONWEALTH Looking ahead to CHOGM 2020 in Rwanda
Hon. Dr Richard Sezibera is
the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for the Republic of Rwanda. A medical doctor by training, he previously served as a Senator between 2016 and 2018. Prior to this, he was the 4th SecretaryGeneral of the East African Community, the regional intergovernmental organisation of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and South Sudan. A former Minister of Health, he has also held several senior intergovernmental positions.
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together” is an African proverb that couldn’t be more pertinent in a time where the very principle of multilateralism is largely being questioned. Yet, no one, no community, no state can realistically believe that he or she can do it alone and for one simple reason: we all share one home that is Planet Earth. We see it with the environment, with technology, distance has become irrelevant and we are all interconnected. Whether we like it or not, we are together for better or worse, and the actions of ones directly or indirectly, impact the lives of others, including the ones to be born. This state of affairs is seen by many, as a challenge, at best and a danger, at worst. I see it as an opportunity: an opportunity to think and do business differently and a chance to redefine partnerships which are beneficial to all parties. Only that way, do we have a chance to achieve national, regional and global goals that we have set for ourselves and our people and to leave something behind for the generations to come. In a statement made in 1973, His Excellency, Julius Nyerere, former President of Tanzania recalled the reason behind the Commonwealth Secretariat: “The establishment of the Commonwealth Secretariat in 1965 emphasised the equality of all members, and gave final discouragement to the lingering sentiment that one member had a right to some predominance over others. It has enabled the
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Commonwealth to develop along independent lines in accordance with the interest of all its members.” Based on principles of consensus, equality and respect, the Commonwealth is a community of big and small states from all regions of the world, of people from all races and religions that is supported by a network of over 80 associations and organizations from different sectors. This format provides a rather unique platform for cooperation within and outside our borders. With a population of 2.4 billion, of which more than 60% are aged below 30, a combined gross domestic product estimated at USD$10.4 trillion in 2017 and predicted to reach USD$ 13 trillion in 2020, our organization has the possibility and the ambition to contribute to a better world, making a real difference in the lives of its citizens and the rest of the world’s population. At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2018, last April in London, our Heads of Government reiterated their strong commitment to the above by setting specific targets notably through the Communiqué, the Commonwealth Blue Charter, the Cyber Declaration, and the Declaration on the Connectivity Agenda for Trade and Investment. In line with global targets, these cover key issues including in areas of peace and security, environment, education, health, business and technology. It is an honour for Rwanda, to have been selected to host the 2020 edition of CHOGM, which will
be a great opportunity to showcase the work that has already been done across the Commonwealth. It will also be an occasion to celebrate the diversity of our governance models and to encourage more knowledge and best-practices sharing among members. In his address, at the 2013 Commonwealth Local Government Conference in Kampala, His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda said: “Clearly, local democracy practices are not always the same and transferrable, because they are context-specific. However, aspiration to a better life is universal and therefore the path taken in some of our countries to realise this may be worth sharing.” This incredible wealth of experiences offers a chance to look at how others do things, allowing each of us to enrich our thinking and enlarge our perspectives. This exercise is key in reflecting on self and understanding the other. It permits to relativize our place and position in this world as a person or government and in turn, to better appreciate the contribution of others. In that sense, being open to and respectful of others’ culture and values directly contributes to a more tolerant peaceful world, something the Commonwealth wishes to reinforce. The tragedy we have gone through as Rwandans that is the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and its aftermath, has taught us a few lessons about the importance of leadership and good governance as guardians of