The British High Commissioner to Rwanda, Jo Lomas, on Friday told reporters that her government is delighted Rwanda was in April chosen to host the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), to be held in 2020. CHOGM is a meeting of the heads of government from all Commonwealth member states, held every two years, in a different member state and is chaired by that nations leader. The most recent, the 2018 CHOGM, was held in London in April. “We are delighted that Rwanda was chosen to host the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit in 2020. It will be the newest member to do so,” Lomas said during a news conference to mark the birthday of British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, at the High Commission offices in Kigali. “This will be an important opportunity for Rwanda to shine on the world stage and, really show the world what she has to offer”. Rwanda joined the 53-state Commonwealth in 2009, becoming the second member without any direct colonial ties to the British Empire to be admitted into the Commonwealth, after Mozambique. It is still early, she said, but noted that over the next week, among others, they will bring officials to Rwanda to talk to their Rwandan counterparts about what worked in the past meeting, the challenges, and certain key things they would like to see taken forward. In the last meeting, there were agreements on matters including cyber security and plastics which, the diplomat noted, speak to Rwanda’s agenda. “The next two years will offer Rwanda an opportunity to show what it has to offer plus shine a light on Rwanda.” Commonwealth leaders met in the United Kingdom from April 19 to 20 and discussed, among others, how the Commonwealth can contribute to a future which is fairer, more sustainable, more secure and more prosperous. The leaders adopted a Commonwealth Cyber Declaration that reflects Commonwealth values, and sets out a common commitment to an open, democratic peaceful and secure internet, respecting human rights and freedom of expression. They agreed to increase cooperation across the Commonwealth as outlined in the Cyber Declaration and to have voluntarily undertaken national cyber risk assessments by 2020, with a view to developing or strengthening national cyber security strategies and implementing action plans. In April, Commonwealth leaders also expressed alarm at the deteriorating health of the worlds ocean, which impacts every country and poses an existential threat to many Commonwealth communities. They identified climate change, including sea level rise and acidification, biodiversity loss, overfishing, and plastic pollution as some of the most significant pressures on the ocean, and called for ambitious, coordinated global action. Additional reporting by Liesse Niwe. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
