1961 Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 11th Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference
Host country	United Kingdom
Dates	8–17 March 1961
Venue(s)	Lancaster House
Cities	London
Participants	13
Chair	Harold Macmillan (Prime Minister)
Follows	1960
Precedes	1962
Key points
South Africa and apartheid, membership of South Africa, Cyprus and Sierra Leone, British membership in the Common Market, disarmament

The 1961 Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference was an important meeting of leaders from the Commonwealth of Nations. It was the 11th time these leaders gathered. The meeting took place in London, United Kingdom, in March 1961. The host was Harold Macmillan, who was the Prime Minister of the UK at that time.

Commonwealth meetings usually happened every two years. However, this conference was held only one year after the previous one in May 1960. This was because of a big disagreement about South Africa. Many countries wanted South Africa to leave the Commonwealth. This was due to its policy of racial segregation, known as apartheid.

What Was the 1961 Commonwealth Meeting About?

The main reason for this special meeting was South Africa. South Africa's Prime Minister, H.F. Verwoerd, came to the conference. He wanted to announce that his country would become a republic in May 1961. This change had been approved by a public vote in October 1960. South Africa then wanted to stay in the Commonwealth as a republic.

South Africa and Apartheid

Many leaders strongly opposed South Africa's request to stay. This was because of its policy of apartheid. Apartheid was a system of unfair racial separation. It treated non-white people very badly. Leaders from African countries with black majority rule spoke out against it. Also, the Prime Ministers of India, Malaya, and other non-white Commonwealth countries were against it.

Even John Diefenbaker, the Prime Minister of Canada, opposed South Africa's membership. Canada was the only older, mostly white Commonwealth country to do so. Some leaders, like the UK's Harold Macmillan and Australia's Robert Menzies, wanted South Africa to stay.

Canada's Prime Minister, John Diefenbaker, suggested a compromise. He said South Africa should only be allowed to rejoin if it agreed to condemn apartheid. When it became clear that most countries would reject South Africa's membership, Prime Minister Verwoerd withdrew his country's application. He then left the conference.

Other Important Discussions

The leaders also talked about other important topics. They discussed the United Kingdom possibly joining the Common Market. This was a group of European countries working together. There were worries about how this might affect trade between the UK and other Commonwealth countries.

The Commonwealth leaders also agreed on the importance of worldwide disarmament. This means reducing weapons around the world. They said this should happen with proper checks and controls.

New Members Join the Commonwealth

Two new countries joined the Commonwealth at this meeting. Cyprus had become independent the year before. Its application to join was approved. This happened even though the United Kingdom had some objections. Cyprus's President, Archbishop Makarios III, joined the conference after the decision.

The application from Sierra Leone was also accepted. Sierra Leone officially became a member when it gained independence on April 27.

This conference was also special for another reason. It was the first time a woman leader attended a Commonwealth meeting. Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike, the Prime Minister of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), was there. She was the first female prime minister in the world.

Who Attended the 1961 Meeting?

Here are the leaders who took part in the 1961 Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference:

Nation	Name	Role
United Kingdom	Harold Macmillan	Prime Minister (chairman)
Australia	Robert Menzies	Prime Minister
Canada	John Diefenbaker	Prime Minister
Ceylon	Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike	Prime Minister
Cyprus	Makarios III	President
Ghana	Kwame Nkrumah	President
India	Jawaharlal Nehru	Prime Minister
Malaya	Tunku Abdul Rahman	Prime Minister
New Zealand	Keith Holyoake	Prime Minister
Nigeria	Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa	Prime Minister
Pakistan	Ayub Khan	President
Rhodesia and Nyasaland	Sir Roy Welensky	Prime Minister
South Africa	H. F. Verwoerd	Prime Minister