Side event promoting Commonwealth Principles on Freedom of Expression and the Role of Media in Good Governance. [photo: Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative]
[Australian professor and diplomat Matthew Neuhaus is sharing his experiences and insights at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting CHOGM in Apia, Samoa.]
The storms did come but soon dissipated. The King arrived in the evening to great excitement. The media have been encouraging him to wear the colourful Samoan shirts so suitable for the tropics. It is sad to see so many red faced British delegates from London clinging to their uncomfortable suits when almost everyone else is wearing these shirts! They only cost a few dollars and would make a great souvenir of Samoa.
Day 3 began with a well attended Commonwealth Sports breakfast, at which both the SG and Prime Minister spoke. It is good to see the Commonwealth Games revived by Glasgow for 23July – 2 August 2026 in a slimmed down selection of sports using existing facilities.
It seems like a good model for the future and the developing nations of the Commonwealth are keen. Another speaker at the breakfast was the Commonwealth Special Envoy for the Ageing Dame Carol Black – an interesting counterpoint to the voices of young athletes attending, and making the point sport is not just for the young.
It was also interesting to meet Lesotho’s SG candidate Joshua Setipa at the breakfast. He quickly left giving the opportunity for a more engaged discussion with the Lesotho Foreign Minister. He said the campaigning was tough and he felt marred by dirty tricks. Rather sad. On a happier note it was wonderful to catch up with former DSG Masire Mwamba there representing Botswana.
There was an extensive side events program – too many to manage to cover. There was an interesting session on sustainable urbanisation with CLGF and the Kings Trust in the lead and an impressive presentation by a Rwandan Minister on their work on this.
A particularly important side event chaired by Alison Duxbury of CHRI and including Venkat Iyer of the Round Table and supported by Kingsley Abbott of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies which promoted the Commonwealth Principles on Freedom of Expression and the Role of Media in Good Governance. These are expected to be adopted by Leaders at this CHOGM.
The Canadian official attending also said Canada would seek to strengthen CMAG and have it play more of a role on Human Rights. As someone who was present at the creation at the Auckland CHOGM in 1995 I applaud such an effort. It was in line with the vision of Nelson Mandela when he led the creation of CMAG to respond to the outrageous executions of Ken Saro Wiwa and the Ogoni activists by Nigeria’s Sani Abacha. But it won’t be easy.
Other workshops covered health particularly non communicable diseases and mental health, climate, criminal law and development policy. My Round Table colleague Derek McDougall attended the Ministerial Meeting on Small States and has provided a comprehensive report on this. British Foreign Secretary Lammy was a star at the Business Forum.
Excitement was also caused by the presence of representatives of Elon Musk’s satellite system Starlink. But overall it is a small Business Forum and still to come to grips with the pressing need to mobilise private sector funding for small states development.
Articles for the Round Table Journal by Matthew Neuhaus
Samoa Diary by Derek McDougall
There are signs for concern in this for the future.
Tomorrow the King will undertake the usual pre CHOGM State Visit prior to the Opening Ceremony on Friday. Foreign Ministers will meet to finalise the draft Communique and other events will wrap up.
Matthew Neuhaus is the Hon Professor, ANU College of Law, President of the Australian Royal Commonwealth Society and a member of the Round Table’s international advisory board.
