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
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
