Rwanda, on Monday, March 14, joined the rest of the 53 member countries of the Commonwealth to celebrate the annual Commonwealth Day. The event was marked by hoisting the Commonwealth flag at the Kigali Convention Centre (KCC) by officers of Rwanda National Police. The ceremony of raising the flag, which is done by every member country of this bloc, brings greater understanding and appreciation of the values and principles of the Commonwealth Charter (a document of the values and aspirations which unite the Commonwealth). The theme of Commonwealth Day states ‘Delivering a Common Future’, which is traditionally aligned with the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). Rwanda will assume the role of Chair-in-Office of the Commonwealth for the next 2 years. “On this Commonwealth Day, we come together to celebrate the 2.4 billion people who make up our community and reaffirm Rwanda’s commitment as an active voice in our global family of nations, especially during the two years of our Chair-in-Office,” said Yolande Makolo, the spokesperson of the government of Rwanda, in an opinion piece in The New Times. Rwanda joined the Commonwealth in 2009, becoming the second member state to be admitted into this organisation without any direct colonial ties to Britain, after Mozambique. The organization is now made up of 54 member states. Representing a third of the world population, it is home to 2.4 billion people and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. Pointing at the upcoming CHOGM, Makolo said: “This June, we will have the opportunity to share Rwanda’s journey to transformation over the last 28 years, and showcase to visiting delegations our culture and hospitality as well as ongoing efforts to accelerate economic recovery.” After being postponed twice due to the Covid-19 impact, the high-level meeting is scheduled to take place in Kigali during the week of June 20 this year. The leaders’ summit will be preceded by meetings for representatives from Commonwealth networks for youth, women, civil society and business actors. The government of Rwanda has been making strides in preparation for the event by improved and new infrastructure projects such as the expansion of deviation roads and other facilities being put in place to ensure the guests have a better experience while in Kigali. It had earlier been said that over 8,000 guests would be expected in the country for CHOGM and the several meetings organized on its margins. Makolo promised a safe, seamless, and memorable CHOGM to participants.
