Maravi

Rwanda joins Commonwealth

COMMENT - Kagame was trained and sponsored by the Anglo-Saxon bloc. However, who would have predicted that not only would Rwanda change it's official national language from French to English, they would also join the Common Wealth?

Rwanda joins Commonwealth
By Larry Moonze in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Tue 01 Dec. 2009, 04:00 CAT

FRENCH speaking Rwanda has become the 54th member of the mostly former British colonies association, the Commonwealth.

Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Port of Spain on Saturday agreed to admit Rwanda 15 years after the end of the genocide in which over 500,000 Tutsi minority were massacred. Rwanda becomes the newest member to join the Commonwealth after Mozambique in 1995.

"Commonwealth leaders holding their biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on 28 November 2009 considered application for membership by the Republic Of Rwanda,” said Commonwealth Secretariat spokesperson Eduardo del Buey. "The leaders agreed to admit Rwanda as the 54th member. Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma telephoned Rwanda's President, His Excellency Paul Kagame, late on 28th November 2009 to convey the leaders' decision."

The Commonwealth comprises big and vastly industrialised countries but the majority of its members are poor developing countries and smaller vulnerable island states.

The association that espouses democracy, good governance and respect for human rights boasts of 'the same rich diversity of humankind and commonality of spirit.'

British Queen Elizabeth II heads the Commonwealth.

Rwanda has spent the last 15 years canvassing to join the Commonwealth.
The Great Lakes Region country has been subjected to numerous membership accession criteria until 2009 when it won the bid to get on board.

Labels: COMMON WEALTH, RWANDA

posted by MrK @ 3:57 AM