India has pledged to work even more closely with the Commonwealth. The renewed commitment was made at a meeting between the country's Minister of External Affairs Shusma Swaraj and Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland.
India has pledged to work even more closely with the Commonwealth. The renewed commitment was made at a meeting between the country's Minister of External Affairs Shusma Swaraj and Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland.
The Secretary-General is in India for her first official visit.
During extensive discussions, the Secretary-General updated the minister on plans for next April's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and work being carried out by the Secretariat.
Smt. Swaraj welcomed the theme for CHOGM of 'Towards a Common Future', and the four areas of prosperity, security, fairness and sustainability.
Both Minister Swaraj and Secretary-General Scotland agreed that the thematic areas would be pivotal in promoting a refreshed role for the Commonwealth and press home the Commonwealth advantage when it came to, among other things, helping small states, tackling climate change and empowering women.
