The 23rd Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHoGM) will be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from November 15 to 17.
Themed ‘Growth with Equity or Inclusive Development,’ the Meeting will focus on the post-2015 development framework for the Commonwealth member countries. Issues such as the ability of climate-vulnerable small states to access financing, solutions for debt challenges of small states, international trade, border constraints and travel between Commonwealth countries, among others, are also expected to be on the agenda.
India will be represented by External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh and other senior officials.
The London Declaration of 1949 established the modern Commonwealth – currently comprising of 53 member states. India is the largest member of the Commonwealth in terms of population, and the fourth-largest contributor to the Commonwealth budget.
The CHoGM has a two tier format:
a) Executive Sessions – where the heads of government interact in a more formal manner and make statements, and are accompanied by ministers or officials, and
b) Retreat – where the heads of governments interact informally with their counterparts without the presence of any aides. The CHoGM discusses issues that include international peace and security, democracy, good governance, sustainable development, debt management, education, environment, gender equality, health, human rights, information and communication technology, law, multilateral trade issues, small states, and youth affairs, among others.