PRIME MINISTER TO ATTEND COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT MEETING IN AUSTRALIA
February 25, 2002
Ottawa, Ontario
Prime Minister Jean Chrétien today announced that he will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) taking place from March 2 to 5 in Coolum Australia.
"It is critical for the Commonwealth to evolve new policies and strategies to meet the current and future challenges of the 21
st century – challenges as diverse as restoring democracy and good governance in Zimbabwe, combating terrorism, and ensuring that developing countries around the world are able to reap the benefits of globalization" said Prime Minister Chrétien. "Coolum will provide an important venue for consulting with African members of the Commonwealth on the development of a G-8 Plan of Action for Africa."The Prime Minister added that Coolum provides an important venue for consulting with the Leaders of other Commonwealth countries on a variety of topics including priorities for the next G-8 Summit, which will take place in Kananaskis, Alberta, this coming June.
Commonwealth leaders will also address economic issues, including sustainable development and poverty alleviation. In addition, they will assess recommendations made by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group, of which Canada is a member, and decide the next steps to take in promoting democracy, human rights and good governance in specific member countries, including Pakistan and Zimbabwe.
Furthermore, heads of government will receive a report by the High Level Review Group that, since the last CHOGM in Durban, has been conducting a comprehensive review of the Commonwealth's mandate, policies and structure to ensure the Organization is prepared to address the challenges of the 21st century.
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PMO Press Office (613) 957-5555