1986 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 9th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting |
|
|---|---|
| Host country |  United Kingdom |
| Dates | 3 August 1986– 5 August 1986 |
| Cities | London |
| Chair | Margaret Thatcher (Prime Minister) |
| Follows | 1985 |
| Precedes | 1987 |
| Key points | |
The 1986 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting was a special gathering of leaders from the Commonwealth of Nations. This group includes countries that were once part of the British Empire. The meeting took place in London, United Kingdom, from August 3 to August 5, 1986. Margaret Thatcher, who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom at the time, hosted this important event.
This meeting was different because it happened between the usual big meetings that take place every two years. Its main purpose was to talk about a serious issue: what to do about South Africa's unfair system called apartheid.
What Was the Meeting About?
This special meeting focused on a report from the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group. This group had looked into the situation in South Africa. They suggested that countries should use economic sanctions against South Africa. Sanctions are like a way of putting pressure on a country. They involve stopping trade or investments to make a country change its policies.
The goal was to make South Africa end apartheid. Apartheid was a system of strict separation and unfair treatment of people based on their race. It meant that people of different skin colors had different rights and opportunities. This system was seen as very wrong by most countries around the world.
Disagreement Over Sanctions
The meeting became quite tense because of disagreements about these sanctions. Many Commonwealth leaders wanted strong, mandatory sanctions against South Africa. They believed this was the best way to fight apartheid.
However, the British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, did not agree. She felt that strong sanctions would hurt the people of South Africa more than they would help. She also worried about the economic impact on other countries. Her refusal to support these strong sanctions caused a lot of arguments.
A Difficult Outcome
The disagreement made the meeting very difficult and unfriendly. Some countries were so upset that it almost caused the Commonwealth to split apart. Even though the meeting was tough, it showed how strongly many countries felt about ending apartheid.
While a full agreement on sanctions was not reached, the meeting highlighted the global opposition to apartheid. It also showed the challenges of getting many different countries to agree on a single approach to a big problem.
