The Commonwealth Secretariat, the association's principal intergovernmental agency, is founded in It is based in Marlborough House in London, where it remains to this day. The Commonwealth is now a voluntary association of 54 countries, nearly all of which were formerly under British rule Rwanda and Mozambique, which joined in and , respectively, are the exceptions. Its work around the globe—carried out in support of the goals laid out in its Charter, adopted in —is supported by a group of over 80 organizations.
Leaders continue to gather at biannual CHOGM conferences, and the Commonwealth Games, an international sporting competition among member countries, is held every four years.
The Head of the Commonwealth is not a hereditary position, but Queen Elizabeth was appointed to the role after her father King George VI's death, and in , Prince Charles was named her successor. Fifteen Commonwealth countries, known as Commonwealth Realms, also still call Queen Elizabeth their monarch. To support the Commonwealth's work, leading members of the British royal family are regularly asked to undertake official visits to Commonwealth countries, at the request of the UK's Foreign Office.
At home in the UK, royals also often attend events and engagements with ties to the Commonwealth and its associated organizations. The royals are also very involved in some of the Commonwealth's organizations.
Prior to stepping back from their roles as working royals, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle seemed poised to take on significant responsibilities in Commonwealth organizations. Robert Mugabe took Zimbabwe out in after its membership was suspended amid reports of election rigging. Pakistan was suspended after a military coup in and was re-admitted four-and-a-half years later.
And South Africa withdrew in after it was criticised by Commonwealth members for its apartheid policies. It became a member again in The Commonwealth makes up a quarter of the world's land mass.
The giant of the group is Canada, the world's second largest country. India and Australia are huge too. The modern Commonwealth was formed in , after "British" was dropped from the name and allegiance to the Crown was removed from its statute. But it's not a hereditary role, although the Prince of Wales is widely expected to take it up when he becomes king. The Commonwealth had no constitution until it adopted its Charter in , which committed members to 16 values of democracy, gender equality, sustainable development and international peace and security.
The Commonwealth has been criticised for being a post-colonial club and for having little influence. The Gambia announced its withdrawal in describing it as a "neo-colonial institution". Supporters say the benefits which membership brings include developmental support and co-operation on international goals. Secretary-general Lady Scotland, said: "Our member countries have committed to nurture and protect democracy, development and respect for diversity. Leaders of the Dominions attended conferences with Britain from At the conference Britain and the Dominions agreed that they were all equal members of a community within the British Empire.
They all owed allegiance to the British king or queen, but the United Kingdom did not rule over them. This community was called the British Commonwealth of Nations or just the Commonwealth. The Dominions and other territories of the British Empire gradually became fully independent of the United Kingdom. India became independent in India wanted to become a republic which didn't owe allegiance to the British king or queen, but it also wanted to stay a member of the Commonwealth.
At a Commonwealth Prime Ministers meeting in London in , the London Declaration said that republics and other countries could be part of the Commonwealth. The modern Commonwealth of Nations was born. But the British king or queen is not automatically Head of the Commonwealth.
Commonwealth member countries choose who becomes Head of the Commonwealth. Since independent countries from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Pacific have joined the Commonwealth. Membership today is based on free and equal voluntary co-operation.
0コメント