Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, commonly known as the Commonwealth, is an international organization formed predominantly by countries that were once part of the British Empire. It consists of 54 member states, representing a diverse population of approximately 2.2 billion people, making it one of the largest international organizations globally. The Commonwealth's primary aim is to promote cooperation and consultation among its members, who often share cultural, historical, and linguistic ties. While membership generally requires a constitutional link to an existing member, exceptions have been made, such as the inclusion of Rwanda in 2009.
The organization has evolved over time, with its roots tracing back to the early 20th century, and has shifted from a focus on colonial ties to an emphasis on mutual respect and shared values among independent nations. The Commonwealth does not have a formal constitution but operates on a voluntary basis, recognizing the British monarch as its symbolic head. Key principles, such as democracy, human rights, and sustainable development, are enshrined in its Charter. The Commonwealth also fosters engagement through events like the Commonwealth Games, reflecting its commitment to unity and cooperation among its diverse member states.
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations (more commonly called the Commonwealth), formerly the British Commonwealth of Nations, is an international organization made up of a group of nations from within the former British Empire. It is defined by its adopted goal of promoting consultation and cooperation among its member states. The Commonwealth includes fifty-six member states with a population of about 2.7 billion, making it one of the largest international organizations in the world. Most members also share some commonalities of culture, history, and the English language. Although new members are required to have a constitutional link to an existing member of the Commonwealth as a general rule, exceptions have been made in certain cases; despite having no relation to the British Empire, Rwanda was given membership in 2009 under exceptional circumstances. In 2022, former French territories Togo and Gabon became the Commonwealth's fifty-fifth and fifty-sixth members, respectively.
Brief History
The Commonwealth is the oldest political association of states, thriving well into the twenty-first century. The term Commonwealth was first used in 1921 in a treaty to pacify Ireland, which granted the same status to Ireland as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa in the British Commonwealth of Nations. The Balfour Declaration at the 1926 Imperial Conference further made use of the term when it stated that Britain and its dominions were equal in status in all spheres, though they were united under a common allegiance to the Crown. This usage was later legalized in 1931 in the Statute of Westminster, which granted full control of governmental power to the older white British colonies of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa under a common allegiance to the British Crown.
As former British colonies became independent after World War II, further modifications were made to the formulation of the Commonwealth. The word British was dropped from the title in 1948, and the status of members as dominions was changed to Commonwealth Members. In order to accommodate independent India as a republic, the Crown was redefined as the symbolic Head of the Commonwealth, with a declaration in London in 1949, thereby making it unnecessary for a member to accept the Crown as the formal head of the state. The term Commonwealth of Nations also faded from contemporary usage after 1971; the association is now more commonly known as the Commonwealth.
Overview
The Commonwealth is not based on any formal agreement and has no constitution of its own. It is a unique organization, better understood as a voluntary association of independent states that aim to cooperate in matters of mutual interest and recognize the Crown as the Head of the Commonwealth, although fifteen member states continue to acknowledge the Crown as their monarch. Most of the members that are republics only recognize the Crown as the head of the organization along with about five monarchies with their own Crowns.
Beginning with a handful of members in 1926, the Commonwealth saw an upsurge in membership after World War II, with the independence and subsequent inclusion in the organization of India, Pakistan, and Ceylon. Although Burma became independent during the same time, it did not join the Commonwealth. Membership in the organization rose significantly with the spate of decolonization in the 1960s. Although Sudan did not join the Commonwealth after its independence in 1956, Ghana joined in 1957 as the first African state.
The Secretariat of the Commonwealth was established in August 1965, headed by the Canadian diplomat Arnold Smith as its first secretary-general. The primary function of the secretariat is to promote consultation and cooperation among member states. It is also responsible for organizing meetings and summits, providing policy advice, and facilitating the transfer of technical assistance to poorer member states. The Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation (CFTC), established in 1971, is specifically devoted to this purpose.
Replacing the former Meetings of Commonwealth Prime Ministers, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) emerged as the primary forum for decision-making among Commonwealth members. The CHOGM held in Singapore in 1971 is deemed important in the organization's history for the Declaration of Commonwealth Principles. This declaration replaced the definitions of the organization arrived at in 1926 and 1949. The Commonwealth was henceforth to be seen as an association of independent and sovereign states, where each member was responsible for its own policies and committed to pursuing common interests and promoting world peace. The members were also required to follow six additional principles: support for peace, liberty, and cooperation; and stand against racial discrimination, colonial subjugation, and inequalities of wealth.
The Singapore Declaration of 1971 was followed by another important declaration issued in Harare, Zimbabwe, in 1991. The Harare Declaration reaffirmed the commitment of all member states to uphold the principles enshrined in the Singapore Declaration as well as lend their support to the end of the Cold War and the end of the apartheid system in South Africa.
The Charter of the Commonwealth holds democracy, human rights, international peace and security, rule of law, good governance, freedom of expression, sustainable development, protection of the environment, gender equality, and other principles as its core values and uniting principles. Member states also participate in a major sporting event called the Commonwealth Games every four years in the spirit of these principles. The games encourage friendly competition and the sharing of cultural traditions. The Commonwealth remains a large organization, holding a significant share of the world economy and comprising thirty-three of the world’s forty-two small states.
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