Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

Why in news?

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) was held recently in London.

What is the Commonwealth grouping?

• It is a group of nations of mostly former British colonies.
• It is now a 53-nation grouping.
• The present Queen Elizabeth II is the head of CHOGM.

How was the latest summit perceived?

• The meeting came with hopes of a “re-energised Commonwealth”.
• The summit was held in the U.K., the founder State, after 32 years.
• Besides, Queen Elizabeth II attended the summit.
• She has skipped the meeting often in the last few years owing to her health.

• Also, the present meet took place amidst Britain’s exit from the EU.
• All these led to hopes of reviving the grouping as Commonwealth 2.0.
• India - Mr. Modi was the first Indian PM to attend CHOGM in a decade.
• Some of the earlier summits were skipped over bilateral differences.
• It was widely expected that India would step up to play a leadership role.
• It was seen to be helping chart a future course for the Commonwealth.
• Prince Charles’s visit to Delhi to invite Indian PM bolstered that belief.

Were the expectations met?

• The outcome of the meet was largely against the expectations.
• CHOGM again failed to make a case for its relevance in the 21st century.
• Head - It was announced that Prince Charles would ‘succeed’ his mother as the head of the Commonwealth.
• This has ignored calls by members for the position to be more democratically shared or rotated.  
• China - There were statements on the Blue Charter on Ocean Governance and on the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda for Trade and Investment.
• This could together counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
• But there was little by way of a road map to achieve the goals.
• Immigration - Britain PM Theresa May apologised for her Home Office’s threat to deport thousands of immigrants.
• They were brought as manual labour in the 1940s on the ship Empire Windrush from the Caribbean.
• But she failed to convince most members of the Commonwealth that Britain would reverse its present policies on immigration.
• Trade - The U.K.’s hard line on Indian “illegals” prevented the signing of a bilateral agreement on immigrant “returns” with India.
• This was in regard to return of illegal Indian migrants within a month of their being detected by authorities.
• This indicates that post-Brexit London is likely to welcome trade in goods from the Commonwealth, but not services.

What is the way forward?

• The Commonwealth remains a great platform for development aid, democratic values and educational opportunities.
• But its relevance is put to test with increasing call for democracy within the grouping.
• It needs to adopt a more egalitarian and inclusive attitude to its next generation of Commonwealth citizens.
• Only this can ensure the sustainability and credibility of this grouping.

Source: The Hindu