Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Tanzanian President in Perth, Australia For CHOGM

Mkuu wa Jumuiya ya Watanzania waishio Mjini Perth Asimwe Kabunga akimsikiliza Rais wakati wa hafla fupi ya kumkaribisha Rais Kikwete aliyewasili Mjini Perth kwa Mkutano wa Wakuu wa Nchi na Serikali wa  Jumuiya ya Madola.

By Ichikaeli Maro

President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania has arrived in this Western Australia capital to join leaders of the member states of the Commonwealth for the Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting (CHOGM) beginning on Friday.

The president is accompanied by Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation Bernard Membe, Minister of State at the President's Office responsible for Good Governance, Mr Mathias Chikawe and Zanzibar's Minister of State at the Second Vice-President's Office Mohamed Aboud.

The official opening of the summit on Friday is expected to be attended by 54 Heads of State and Government of Commonwealth members. Queen Elizabeth II, as the Head of the Commonwealth, will officially open the biennial summit.

Security has been intensified in Perth with major streets closed to traffic as delegates arrive here for the summit.

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting takes place every two years to discuss issues pertaining to the Member States of the Commonwealth and agree on collective policies and initiatives.

The theme for this year's summit is 'Building national resilience, building global resilience at a time of global economic and political challenges". Among the issues to be discussed are international peace and security, democracy, good governance, sustainable development, debt management, education, the environment, gender equality, health, human rights, information and communication technology (ICT), law, multilateral trade issues, and small states and youth affairs.

The Commonwealth objectives are outlined in the 1971 Singapore Declaration which committed the Commonwealth to institute world peace, promoting representative democracy, individual liberty and free trade, pursuing equality and opposing racism as well as fighting poverty, ignorance and disease.

Further objectives are included in the 1979 Lusaka (Zambia) Declaration opposing discrimination on the basis of gender and the Langkawi (Malaysia) Declaration of 1989 emphasising environmental sustainability.

According to a programme issued here Tuesday by the CHOGM Organizing Committee, pre-summit activities have been taking place since Monday. They include the Commonwealth Business Forum in which participants will have opportunity to sign new business deals, make contacts and networking.

Other activities of the day included meetings of the Commonwealth and Small States Foreign Ministers, Commonwealth and Small Developing States Foreign Ministers.

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