President Granger to attend 25th CHOGM in London

DPI, GUYANA, Thursday, April 5, 2018

President David Granger will be attending the 25th meeting of the Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Nations slated for April 16-20, 2018 in London, which will be held under the theme, “Towards a Common Future”.

This was announced today by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon during a post-Cabinet press conference.

H.E. David Granger, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

The president will be accompanied by Second Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, Director General, Audrey Waddell, and Guyana’s High Commissioner to London, Frederick Hamley Case.

President Granger will emphasise Guyana’s role in and contribution to the green agenda of the Commonwealth.

“It will be pointed out that 2019 will mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Iwokrama reserve. It will also be recalled that Guyana has dedicated the approximately 700,000 hectares of the protected area on Konashen, the home of our Wai-Wai people in the South Rupununi, in the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy,” Minister Harmon pointed out.

Guyana will, therefore, use the opportunity of the Heads of Government Meeting to continue its leadership role in the establishment of the green agenda in the Commonwealth even as the country seeks to establish a green economy and state as a model of development.

According to the State Minister, the 2018 meeting is likely to orient the Commonwealth towards a more proactive and relevant global role as it relates to increasing global turbulence and unease.

Four main goals have been proposed for consideration, in keeping with the theme. These include prosperity; boosting intra-Commonwealth trade and investment: security; increasing cooperation response to security challenges, such as global terrorism, organised crime and cyber-attacks: fairness; promoting democracy, fundamental freedoms and good governance across the commonwealth: and sustainability; building resilience of small and vulnerable states to deal with the effect of climate change and other global crises.

The Commonwealth is a diverse community of 53 nations that work together to promote prosperity, democracy, and peace.

The week of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) begins with four forum events, bringing together representatives from the worlds of business, civil society, and government.

The forums offer an opportunity for Commonwealth dialogue and provide a platform for wider debate on some of the key issues and challenges, in advance of discussions by leaders at the CHOGM.

For the first time, all of the Commonwealth Forums will come together in the same venue on a single day to discuss shared agendas, forge important new partnerships and celebrate common interests.

 

By: Stacy Carmichael

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