Today marks 70 years since eight countries signed the 1949 London Declaration establishing the modern Commonwealth, a voluntary partnership of equal member countries based on common values and shared aspirations.
In April 2018, the UK hosted the 25th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, in London. It was the largest of its kind in our country’s history and a fitting way to follow Malta’s wonderful success in Valletta in 2015.
During the summit, leaders agreed an agenda of ambitious policy objectives, which Commonwealth countries are now working to put into action and deliver. These outcomes are clear evidence that the Commonwealth has never been so relevant, as we take on collective responsibility and work together to build a fairer, more sustainable, prosperous and secure future.
Leaders acknowledged that one of the most pressing priorities for achieving a sustainable future is the need to build the resilience of small and vulnerable states to deal with the effects of climate change and other global crises. The UK and Malta, as two island states open to future sea-level rises, know very well the importance of getting this right.
It is no coincidence that, in 2016, all Commonwealth countries ratified the ambitious Paris Agreement to limit global warming. A similarly important outcome of the last summit was the launch of the Commonwealth Blue Charter to sustainably develop and protect our oceans, an objective I know many Maltese are determined to achieve.
The depth and diversity of this partnership has created a worldwide network uniquely positioned to address the challenges we face
Since then, members of the Commonwealth have taken significant steps to back up these political declarations. One example is a UK-led initiative aimed at inspiring 100,000 young people from across the Commonwealth to raise awareness about the urgent need to reduce plastic consumption and tackle marine plastic pollution. It is through actions like this that the Commonwealth can champion small states and bring about vital change.
The challenges we face globally require an approach of continuous renewal and reform if the Commonwealth is to keep representing its 2.4 billion people, a third of the world’s population, 60 per cent of which is under the age of 30. The organisation includes some of the world’s fastest-growing economies and accounts for one-fifth of global trade. The depth and diversity of this partnership has created a worldwide network uniquely positioned to address the challenges we face.
It is for this reason that the UK will continue to be an active and responsible chair-in-office, committed to strengthening and reinvigorating the Commonwealth, through its three pillars: the Commonwealth Secretariat, the member states and Commonwealth organisations and networks.
Apart from encouraging member states to deliver on the commitments already made, we want to ensure that the Commonwealth’s voice as an advocate of the rules-based international system is heard more clearly and more often in international fora, including at the UN, and to increase solidarity among Commonwealth member states. This also means supporting one another’s priorities and interests where we can.
The Commonwealth has a unique ability to create links between people andfoster connections between civil society to achieve goals such as equality of opportunity for women, young people and marginalised communities.
There is no better example of this ‘Connected Commonwealth’ than the historic bond that exists between Malta and the UK and our two peoples. Our countries continue to work closely together, both bilaterally and on the international stage, on the collective challenges we face. The UK is committed more than ever to not simply upholding this enduring partnership but deepening it over the coming years.
Our joint membership of the Commonwealth provides the perfect platform to achieve this. We both belong to this community of shared values which is committed to achieving real change through concrete action. A community which elevates states regardless of their size and amplifies their voice in setting a dynamic global agenda for the future.
As the Commonwealth celebrates its 70th anniversary, I am convinced we can continue to build a reformed and revitalised group of like-minded states, equipped and determined to fulfil the aspirations of its citizens.
Stuart Gill is the British High Commissioner to Malta.
This is a Times of Malta print opinion piece