Chogm 2015: the invisible summit holds out promise for rejuvenation: W. David McIntyre reviews the recent Commonwealth gathering in Malta.

• Author: McIntyre, W. David
• Position: CHOGM Malta 2015 - Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting - Essay - Conference notes

Although overshadowed by global crises, the 2015 Valletta Chogm saw some innovations that augur well for the future. The 'Parallel Meetings' of the voluntary and business Commonwealths included a new Women's Forum. Llesbian, gay, bisexual, trans- and inter-sexual issues were raised for the first time. Prince Charles advocated a green finance facility for islands states. The first UK secretary-general was elected in the person of Dominican-born Baroness Scotland, who was the first women UK attorney-general. Britain will contribute to a new unit in the Secretariat to counter extremists' radicalisation and will host the next Chogm in 2018, its first for 21 years.

**********

The Commonwealth summit in Malta in November 2015 went unnoticed by the media. Paris dominated the news after the terrorist outrages of 13 November and in the light of the world climate conference that started on 20 November. In the same month the Valletta EU-Africa Migration Summit, 11-12 November, and the Antalya G20 meetings, 15-16 November, attracted more column inches than the Commonwealth. Yet the second Chogm in a decade to be held at Valletta, during the last weekend of November 2015, offered great promise for the rejuvenation of the Commonwealth.

With the election, for the first time, of a UK citizen as the next secretary-general, and the choice of Britain to host the next Chogm in 2018; with the longest reigning monarch in British history reflecting proudly on her six decades as head of the Commonwealth while complimenting Prince Charles on his support; and with Eurosceptics re-discovering the Commonwealth in the run up to the referendum on EU membership, we may expect the British to repeat their performance the last time they hosted Chogm, in 1997.

At Edinburgh that year they inaugurated the Tri-sector Commonwealth. They held the first Youth Forum, Business Forum, and People's Forum (then titled 'Commonwealth Centre') ahead of the heads of government meetings. And, for the first time, they invited the Queen, as head of the Commonwealth, to attend the opening ceremony, make a speech and formally open the proceedings. Intended as a one-off compliment on the occasion of her golden wedding anniversary, this event started a new tradition, which has continued until now, with the exception of Colombo 2013. Testimony to the evolving Tri-sector Commonwealth was re-affirmed in the 'Leaders Statement' prefacing the Malta Communique dated 29 November 2015 with their dedication to renewal of the Commonwealth 'as an association of governments and peoples, and a rich diversity of organisations that support them'. How Britain fulfils this promise must be watched with interest.

Because of the growing frequency of international summitry, Commonwealth heads of government meetings have been pared down to two-and-a-half days--virtually an opening ceremony, short executive sessions and the leaders' Retreat. But a full 'Chogm week' remains to embrace other significant activities involving the three sectors--governmental, voluntary, and business Commonwealths. In Malta there were four 'Parallel Meetings', the Youth Forum, Women's Forum, People's Forum and Business Forum, and four ministerial meetings--the pre-Chogm Foreign Ministers' Meeting, CM AG, the Open-ended Ministerial Working Group on Small States and a meeting with the head of Rotary International and the UN secretary-general on polio eradication. Heads of government in their communique recognised the contribution of 'Commonwealth organisations and individual citizens' in the pursuit of the association's 'values, principles, goals and priorities'.

Significant innovation

Great interest focused on the significant innovation of Valletta --the first Women's Forum, 22-24 November 2015, in the International Hotel, St Julians. With over 400 delegates the forum was opened by the president of Malta, Marie Coleiro Preca, and addressed by Joseph Muscat, the host prime minister. The forum looked to advancing women's...