Secretary-General extends his condolences following the death of Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first Prime Minister
Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma extended his condolences following the death of Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first Prime Minister today.
Mr Sharma said: “Mr Lee was the founding father of modern Singapore and an inspirational leader of that country – a man whose vision transformed the small South East Asian nation into a thriving economic powerhouse and a global financial hub. The Commonwealth today mourns alongside the Government and people of Singapore.”
Mr Lee, who was 91, became Prime Minister of Singapore following its independence from Malaysia in 1965 and served as Prime Minister for more than three decades. In the same year, Singapore joined the Commonwealth and, under Mr Lee’s leadership, hosted the first Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 1971. The resulting Singapore Declaration of Commonwealth Principles first set out the core political values of the Commonwealth.
