Heads of Government of the 54 Commonwealth member countries, Sunday, October 30, 2011 ended the 21st Commonwealth summit in Perth, Western Australia with far-reaching decisions on global emergency relief efforts to deal with food supply crisis and to step up efforts to eradicate polio, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
Cameroon’s Prime Minister, Head of Government, Philemon Yang represented the Head of State, Paul Biya at the summit that ran from October 28 to 30, 2011. Prior to attending the summit, Prime Minister Philemon Yang presented Cameroon’s investment potentials, favourable judicial and legal frameworks and government’s efforts to facilitate investments during the Commonwealth Business Forum on Thursday, October 27, 2011. He was also guest of honour during a business breakfast sponsored by the London-based Afferro Mining Group in partnership with the Cameroon Investment Promotion Agency. Mr Yang told the over 200 investors present that Cameroon was a destination for trade, investment and sustainable growth, Cameroon’s State radio, CRTV reported.
The Associated Press quotes the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma as saying the summit had been productive, citing among its successes, the adoption of a measure that will coordinate global emergency relief efforts to deal with food supply crises. The AP further reported that leaders of Britain, Canada, Australia and Nigeria, along with billionaire philanthropist, Bill Gates, pledged tens of millions of dollars in extra funding toward the World Health Organization’s campaign to wipe out the disabling disease, polio from the four countries where it remains endemic; India, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria.
The leaders endorsed the proposal of the British Prime Minister, David Cameron to reform the rules governing royal succession, henceforth allowing the British monarch’s first-born child - whether a boy or girl to ascend the throne, reversing centuries of tradition.
The Commonwealth Heads of Government, however failed to agree on human rights reforms with the sticking point being the appointment of a human rights watchdog, recommended by a panel of Eminent Persons commissioned at the 2009 Commonwealth summit.
Queen Elizabeth II of England, head of the Commonwealth, opened the summit on Friday, October 28, 2011. She reportedly asked the leaders to keep the grouping “fresh and fit for tomorrow” as well as underlined the fact that the results of the summit would have “global impact.” With focus on “Building national resilience, building global resilience,” the summit had to also address issues such as good governance, human rights, climate change, wealth creation, food security and natural resource management in the face of deepening global financial concerns and the debate on aid effectiveness.
The next Commonwealth Heads of Government summit will take place in Sri Lanka in 2013.
