The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2013 has closed with heads of government reiterating their commitment to respecting, protecting and promoting the core values in the Commonwealth charter.
The charter emphasises the importance of democracy, human rights, international peace and security, tolerance, respect and understanding, freedom of expression, separation of powers, rule of law, good governance, development, protecting the environment, access to health, education, food and shelter, gender equality, young people, the needs of small and vulnerable states, and the role of civil society.
The CHOGM ran from 15th to 17th November 2013 in Colombo in Sri Lanka under the theme, ‘growth with equity: inclusive development,’
ZANIS reports that out of the 50 countries that attended the meeting, 27 were represented by their heads of state and government.
Vice President Guy Scott represented President Michael Sata at the summit.
According to a communiqué released after the meeting, the heads of government also reiterated their commitment to sustainable development and to ensuring the promotion of an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable future.
“Heads committed to ensuring an integrated and holistic approach to sustainable development. Heads reaffirmed all the Rio principles, including the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. They acknowledged the importance of the intergovernmental process for elaboration of a set of sustainable development goals that could integrate with the post 2015 development agenda,” read the communiqué in part.
The heads of government also reaffirmed their commitment to peaceful, open dialogue and the free flow of information, including through a free and responsible media and to enhancing democratic traditions and strengthening democratic processes.
They also recognised the media’s role in fostering dialogue among citizens as key to strengthening democracy, social harmony and inclusion.
The heads of government noted that social media had introduced a new dimension and agreed to share best practices within the Commonwealth to respond to the resultant opportunities and challenges.
The heads of government also requested the Secretary General of the Commonwealth Kamalesh Sharma to review the Commonwealth media development fund in order to examine how it can be renewed in its purpose to build the capacity of a free and responsible media.
They also agreed that the Commonwealth would continue to address the issue of child, early and forced marriage, giving due consideration to the domestic legislation of member countries and relevant international law.
The heads of government further reaffirmed the conviction that gender equality and empowerment of women was the core of human development and underscored the importance of women’s economic empowerment and leadership as well as the urgent need for policy attention on violence against women.
They called on member states to ensure that each child was able to complete a full cycle of good quality education, which includes technical and vocational education, regardless of their circumstance.
“Education is notably a key catalyst for achieving national development and, as such, contributes to efforts aimed at addressing, inter alia, climate change, food security, peace, security and stability,” read the communiqué further.
The heads of government also emphasised the importance of access to affordable medicine, including generic medicine, as a critical element in the efforts for universal health coverage.
ZANIS
Sata for 2016
Sata is our obama commonwealth or not we have have gained credibility here abroad since mr sata was was elected in.
It will be folly to to not have him beyond 2016
Zambia has moved so many steps backwards by having a muzungu as VP. I feel ashamed because this just sends a wrong message to the world that Zambians are not ready to rule themselves yet . What makes it even worse is the fact Zambians settled for a grade 3 out of all the credible minds out there.
Next time Zambians open your eyes and usher in either HH or Chipimo. These are the progressive leaders Zambia needs not these dinosaurs in the names of Sata and Guy scott who are stuck in colonial mentality.
Keep dreaming. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.
No way anyone who loves Zambia can ever vote PF into power.
Sorry guys, but PF has COMPLETELY failed to run the country.
End of story.
#OneZambia
@Jo, yes your Sata in 2016, but remember he & you his disciples started throwing away dead youths, even if they are dying for you PF. Instead of offering Moses S, a hero’s funeral at his family home, you command the Police to go and throw him away.
A son of a Zambian citizen, … Lesa ni Malyotola ba PF.
@Wanzelu- I agree with you fully, and if you observe this white man closely, his utterances and deeds speak for themselves..he is making a mockery of us. Its not a good signal at all, it has many negative psychological implications. Were there no able Zambians to appoint instead. We need to learn from history, countless times the white man’s intentions in Africa have been proved by history to be evil. Yet we are so forgiving and won’t learn…
Wanzelu you black sheep of your family, you an an *****. Whats your comment on the Americans with a black man in White house? You have just exposed your racial discrimination. Better remain quiet than exposing your ubushilu.
Wanzelu, you are just an editor, that’s all I can say.
Good evening
I wonder why we continue to hang in the commonwealth. What’s in there for us in terms of real independence for Zambia?
I don’t blame Zimbabwe and Gambia for getting rid of them because they saw through their hypocrisy and realised that they are still on a colonial mission. How can we claim to be fully independent when we still have foreign institutions dictating to us how to run our affairs? African countries need their own African institutions to deal with African issues. Period.
Dont wonder.. the reason why you continue hanging on to Tsykland for your dear life,, when you have own mother land called Zambia where you can live happily ever after… is the one and same reason why Zambia continue hanging on/in commonwealth
I don’t think the two are directly comparable, my friend. The individual situation of the people and the status of the continent need to be seperated. Like Nkrumah said: “I’m not African because I was born in Africa, but because Africa was born in me.”
So I may be living in Germany but what matters is that my heart, my thoughts and my actions are applied towards Zambia. In fact, it was not until I left Zambia that I came to realise and fully appreciate the wealth and potential that is in my motherland. I believe there’s a lot that diasporans can do towards achieving true liberation of the continent and full decolonisation of our people.
@Nine chale
hahahahahahah ducking and diving.. wheather you were born in africa or africa was born in you,,, you are in Tsykland because you can get a better life or you believe that you can get a better life in Tyskland than in Zambia… that is were colonisation still is in your head and actions
Decolonisation is impoosible if you are an ever begging consumer… untill such a time when you become a competitive producer and love your motherland enough.. its ok for Zambia to remain in the commonwealth and you to continue enjoying kwabene uko ku Tsykland
Ndobo, I’m here because that’s where my natural resources are. Yes, I can be enjoying but I feel incomplete as long as I know that things are not right where I have come from and where I belong. Material things may satisfy the body but they cannot satisfy the soul.
Have you read the book of Esther in the Bible? On one hand, she enjoyed the splendid life of royalty as a Persian Queen but on the other hand, she stood up strongly for her own people, who were victims of oppression. In the same way, we ought to use our individual priviledged situations in the West as an opportunity to contribute to the development and upliftment of our country and our people as a whole.
@nine chale
Yes!! Book of Esther in the bible….. and decolonisation in Germany and loving it,,, great brother!! good night!!!
Yes bro. We only have one life to live, got to love it. Good night.
@Nine Chale Wow brilliant answer. Also, I am having a similar experience..when I left motherland iv realised what motherland truly is. Its like leaving heaven and going to hell. The film ‘Coming to America’ – Eddie Murphy really sums up what I am saying. Its like we Zambians are Princes and Princesses… And it is no wonder that Britain is using this commonwealth thing to be parasitic, to help delay its own downfall. We have to go our own way, the Gambia and Zimbabwe way…
I don’t think this association of colonial slaves and their colonial master still serve a purpose in this day and age. Wealth just goes one way, to the colonial master. To me its an instrument to neo-colonialism. There is no promotion of commonwealth values at all.
Open colonialism is long over but opaque colonialism is rife and here to stay until Zambia and other countries elect progressive leaders.
I hate it with passion.
Why does Mr Bones always has his mouth open like in shock? Its bad manners to look shocked when there is nothing shocking in your vicinity!
I have a dream
That one day people will be judged.
Not by the content of their character,
But there colour of their skin.
Awesome !!!
Hello Saulosi, how is going? Did you hear anything from Kabimba visiting the funeral home Moses the cadre, who is also a citizen of Commonwealth?
@Nostradamus…we are laka mudala.Long time, where have you been hiding ? I doubt if Kabimba visited the funeral home.His death must be a lesson to all cadres that they are just pawns in the politicians games.Mhsrip.
All the core values are money guzzlers, bottomless pits that only focus on draining of hard earned funds. None of them talks about wealth generation to support that commonwealth. Who must generate those funds to be guzzled by those commonwealth core value. Commonwealth must also talk about wealth creation explicitly. You explicitly talk about how to spend resources but not how to make it. The squint eyed capitalist is watching you scheme how to spend funds whilst ignoring how to creat it. Just on this session you have spent too much just for talks about talks. Also discuss how to generate funds.
Dude has been well taken care of you can see how he is glowing, you look good Scott.
My own observation with mortals is that, when ever they come short of something as in their favour not by granted, they react negatively such that everything becomes bad about that which they expected to recieve the favour from, as can be seen how our friends on this blog who expected the Commonwealth to castigate Zambia over some “report” submitted by the opposition parties. Had it been the other way round, their views would have been positive over the organisation.
@cindy
As long as Zambia remains a finacially dependate state with greedy/evil people like Kabimba as minister of justice ( just look at what happened with PF cadre who was recently murdered,,the was NO justice there).. yes commonwealth will castigate Zambia.. Zambia is begging state so there will always be big brother castigation from somewhere..
look at china they do whatever the heck pleases them,, and nobody can punish them or castigates them because they are producers,, they can compete and survive without begging
@ Ndobo,
I get your stand point i felt very sad about the manner in which that cadre passed on. What is even more painful is that his vote counted to put PF into power, if it was our Brothers from the other side he could have been honoured and made a Matyr, i just wish things could be handled fairly and justly, otherwise, my comment is about the sincerity to call for an international action even before sitting down to sort out issues.
A talkshop for a fast fading colonial power full of nostalgia for its bloodsoaked oppressive past.Surely,the self assured powerful nations like US and Israel know better thats why they don’t subscribe to this club of the weak.
The head of state for Sri Lanka is being charged with human rights violations and genocide of Tamil people in Sri Lanka. ICC is investigating on ethnic cleansing of Tamil group of Sri Linkan people. Shame on Raj Paskhan as head of Sri lanka for killing his own people even though there was war with Tamil people. In disguise of eliminating Tamil Tigers he has killed 000s of innocent people of Tamil group even those who had surrendered and has continued to kill them after the war.
Their crimes against humanity pending over the illegal ill-treatment of Barotse heroes. PF cadres at the helm of violence. Why even go to CHOGM? When police officers in Zambia are abusing their authority. Shocking!
Those are not heroes but barotse criminals, for your information not even an inch shall be cut off Zambia. God gives nothing to those who keep their arms crossed, what have done for mother zambia to improve the life for ourselves and others.
Reasonable and peaceful Zambians, believers in the Christian Faith, proud to have declared our country a Christian Nation how do we ever publish hatred in any form, propagate injustice and with impunity wish to disunite a whole free and united nation which has existed for almost half a century come next year, just because of laziness, and being poverty-striken? Mr. Clement Sinyinda only few years ago served in Govt as Deputy Minister of Education, squandered his gratuity and now organizes old villagers to stubbornly demand for separation of Western Province from Zambia. God will punish him for misguiding these innocent villagers for self cause. I agree the Barotse issue is out-dated. What Western Province requires is genuine development not politicking nor martyrs.
Ba Mbuli
you wanted zambia to be axed from commonweath.It has not happened and was never on the agenda.Are you not ashamed?
The charter emphasises the importance of democracy, human rights, international peace and security, tolerance, respect and understanding, freedom of expression, separation of powers, rule of law, good governance, development, protecting the environment, access to health, education, food and shelter, gender equality, young people, the needs of small and vulnerable states, and the role of civil society.
Sadly none of the above are applied in this government. Respect – the president seems to have on his daily agenda to belittle or insult anyone at hand. Access to health – people in charge of don’t give a monkey and waste no time in using tax payers money to go abroad and seek medical attention for themselves. Guy come and explain the charter in grade 4 English or get a bemba interpreter.
Today,the demons are condemning the commonwealth because their expectations are not met. But on what account?Nomal human beings do not reason like the way u do.@look at Wanzelu for example. Shame upon these shameless Zambians!
‘useless trip’ these are talking shops to make the Queen and the Mornach important.
Guy you went to cox investors to come to Zambia when your Govt is very intolerant.
Why don’t you revive ZCCM so that you can employ cadres and distribute napkins to their wives.