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CHOGM 2021 to be postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic

His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, and Commonwealth Secretary-General, The Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland QC, are today announcing the postponement of CHOGM 2021 as a result of the continuing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Commonwealth ministers back strong youth agenda for Heads of Government meeting

Youth ministers met on 9 April to agree priorities for young people at the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Rwanda.

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Statement by the Commonwealth Secretary-General on the COVID-19 situation in India

Speaking on the impact of the latest surge in Covid-19 cases in India the Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said: “On behalf of the whole Commonwealth family I want to express our deep concern and solidarity with the people and the Government of India [...]"

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Commonwealth pays tribute to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

It was announced today by Buckingham Palace that Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, died this morning at Windsor Castle.

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Investment in technology, however useful, is not the solution to sport recovery, say debaters

The fifth Commonwealth debate on sport ended in a draw as the teams argued that technology, however useful, is not the solution in itself to rebuilding the sport sector after the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Commonwealth Secretary-General congratulates Bangladesh on Golden Jubilee anniversary

It is my privilege to convey the congratulations of the wider Commonwealth family to the people of Bangladesh as we join in celebrating fifty years since independence.

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Secretary-General visits school for children with learning difficulties in Kenya

Patricia Scotland was welcomed with flowers at the Orione Community Training Centre on 25 March, a not-for-profit organization, and school for children with mental and intellectual disabilities in Nairobi.

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Commonwealth to bolster action on sustainable land use management on the road to COP26

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has urged member countries to integrate sustainable land use management into their national climate action plans, with a focus on nature-based solutions, on the road to the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 this November.

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In Conversation: Secretary-General Patricia Scotland QC and Kate Gilmore share their journeys as women leaders

As part of a series of virtual events to celebrate International Women’s Day and Commonwealth Day last week, The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, was joined in conversation by Kate Gilmore, Fellow at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy of Harvard University.

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Virtual Commonwealth Learning Week

27 April 2021 to 29 April 2021

Event

As the world continues to grapple with the far-reaching impacts of COVID-19, the Commonwealth Secretariat is adapting rapidly to new pressures, while maintaining efforts towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

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Secretary-General “impressed” with Rwanda CHOGM progress

The Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has congratulated the Rwandan government on progress in its preparations for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), due to be held in the capital Kigali later this year.

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Secretary-General Receives Kenyan Gender Equality Award

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has today been recognised with an award for her work on gender equality and the empowerment of women in Kenya and the Commonwealth.

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International Women’s Day: To change the world, women must choose to challenge

Among the greatest gifts with which I have been blessed were parents who instilled in me a deep-rooted sense of identity, and the unequivocal belief that there was no difference between what a boy and a girl could achieve.

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Women show the way to COVID-19 resilience, says Commonwealth Secretary-General

The Secretary-General has praised the leadership of women across the Commonwealth during the COVID-19 pandemic and says it is vital they keep up the momentum as equal partners in driving recovery.

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Commonwealth Day 2021 celebrated virtually; Secretary-General delivers message of hope

This year Commonwealth Day will be celebrated on 8 March across the world in a series of virtual events, beginning on 7 March with a service at the UK’s Westminster Abbey.

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Poor countries could face grave death toll from lack of access to Covid vaccines

Poorer countries will most likely “bear the brunt of hundreds of thousands of needless deaths” from inequalities in access to Covid-19 vaccines.

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International Women’s Day 2021 – women’s leadership in building back better after COVID-19

8 March 2021 to 8 March 2021

Event

On International Women’s Day, the Commonwealth Secretariat will host a virtual event to put a spotlight on women’s leadership in responding to COVID-19 and charting an equitable recovery.

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Commonwealth Secretary-General congratulates new head of WTO

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has welcomed the historic appointment of former Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to head the World Trade Organization, the first woman and representative of the African continent to do so.

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2021 Commonwealth Youth Awards ceremony

Event

The winners of the annual Commonwealth Youth Awards will be announced on 10 March. The ceremony will take place during Commonwealth Week and will be held virtually for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Twenty finalists from 18 countries are up for five regional awards. Of the five regional winners, one outstanding young person will become the Commonwealth Young Person of the Year 2021.

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Online performance management training for governments launched

The Commonwealth Secretariat has launched an online training programme on performance management for member governments.

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Statement by the Commonwealth Secretary-General on Guyana-Venezuela controversy

The Commonwealth Secretary-General is deeply concerned by the promulgation of a decree by Venezuela that it has sovereignty over the area adjacent to Guyana’s Essequibo coast, and other recent statements by that country regarding its border controversy with Guyana.

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Statement by the Commonwealth Secretary-General ahead of the 2021 General Elections in Uganda

Ahead of the 2021 General Elections in Uganda on 14 January, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, has called on all Ugandans, in particular political leaders, to uphold Uganda and the Commonwealth’s shared values of peace, tolerance and inclusivity.

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For more information

CHOGM 2021 to be postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic

Commonwealth ministers back strong youth agenda for Heads of Government meeting

Statement by the Commonwealth Secretary-General on the COVID-19 situation in India

Commonwealth pays tribute to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Investment in technology, however useful, is not the solution to sport recovery, say debaters

Commonwealth Secretary-General congratulates Bangladesh on Golden Jubilee anniversary

Secretary-General visits school for children with learning difficulties in Kenya

Commonwealth to bolster action on sustainable land use management on the road to COP26

In Conversation: Secretary-General Patricia Scotland QC and Kate Gilmore share their journeys as women leaders

Virtual Commonwealth Learning Week

Secretary-General “impressed” with Rwanda CHOGM progress

Secretary-General Receives Kenyan Gender Equality Award

International Women’s Day: To change the world, women must choose to challenge

Women show the way to COVID-19 resilience, says Commonwealth Secretary-General

Commonwealth Day 2021 celebrated virtually; Secretary-General delivers message of hope

Poor countries could face grave death toll from lack of access to Covid vaccines

International Women’s Day 2021 – women’s leadership in building back better after COVID-19

Commonwealth Secretary-General congratulates new head of WTO

2021 Commonwealth Youth Awards ceremony

Online performance management training for governments launched

Statement by the Commonwealth Secretary-General on Guyana-Venezuela controversy

Statement by the Commonwealth Secretary-General ahead of the 2021 General Elections in Uganda

Nominations open for young people to join Commonwealth Youth Council

Commonwealth countries end the year with ‘uplifting’ and ‘powerful’ musical collaboration

Secretary-General announces four special envoys and champions

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