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2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting facts for kids

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25th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
CHOGM 2018
CHOGM 2018 logo.png
Host country  United Kingdom
Dates 19–20 April 2018
Venue(s) Buckingham Palace, Lancaster House, and Windsor Castle (retreat)
Cities London and Windsor
Chair Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Follows 2015
Precedes 2022
Key points
Head of the Commonwealth succession; Commonwealth Blue Charter on ocean conservation and plastic waste; trade and investment, Commonwealth Cyber Declaration
Commonwealth Heads meeting 2018 (40942285303)
Theresa May speaks as chair of the meeting

The 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, also known as CHOGM 2018, was a big meeting for leaders of the Commonwealth of Nations. It was the 25th time these leaders gathered. The meeting took place in the United Kingdom in April 2018.

It was first planned for Vanuatu in 2017. But a strong storm called Cyclone Pam damaged Vanuatu's buildings. So, the meeting was moved to the UK. It was also delayed a bit because of other important world events.

At this meeting, the role of Commonwealth Chair-in-Office was passed. This job goes to the leader of the country hosting CHOGM. The Prime Minister of Malta handed the job over to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The UK Prime Minister kept this role until the next CHOGM in 2022.

What Was Discussed at CHOGM 2018?

The main idea for the 2018 meeting was "Towards a Common Future". The UK, as the host, wanted to achieve four main things:

  • Prosperity: To help countries in the Commonwealth trade and invest more with each other.
  • Security: To work together against big problems like global terrorism, organized crime, and online attacks.
  • Fairness: To support democracy, basic freedoms, and good leadership across the Commonwealth.
  • Sustainability: To help smaller, weaker countries deal with climate change and other global challenges.

Leaders also talked about a few specific plans. These included a plan for protecting the oceans, a way to connect countries for trade, a declaration about online safety, and updated rules for watching elections in member countries.

Boosting Trade and Business

This CHOGM was the first one after the United Kingdom decided to leave the European Union. This decision is often called Brexit. Because of Brexit, many people wanted Britain to trade more with Commonwealth countries.

In 2018, about one-tenth of Britain's trade was with the Commonwealth. The UK traded much more with the EU at that time. Experts thought that trade between all Commonwealth countries would grow a lot. They expected it to reach about US$700 billion by 2020.

Some people in the British government hoped CHOGM would help them start new trade deals. They wanted to make up for trade lost with the EU. However, some news groups thought this idea was not very realistic.

The Head of the Commonwealth

A big topic was who would be the next Head of the Commonwealth. This is a special role, not a political one. It was also expected that Queen Elizabeth II might be suggested for the Nobel Peace Prize.

On the first day, Queen Elizabeth II welcomed the leaders. She said she hoped the Commonwealth would stay strong for future generations. She also said she wished that Prince Charles would continue the important work started by her father.

On April 20, the leaders agreed. They decided that Prince Charles would become the next Head of the Commonwealth after the Queen.

Fairness and Equality for All

The British government was asked by groups working for equality to discuss certain rights. These groups wanted to make sure all people in Commonwealth countries are treated fairly. In many Commonwealth countries, old laws still exist that make certain relationships illegal.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May spoke to the leaders. She said she was sorry for Britain's past role in creating these old laws. She said these laws were wrong then and are wrong now. She also said the UK supports changing these laws in former colonies.

Protecting Our Oceans

The UK promised to spend £61 million to help stop plastic pollution in the world's oceans. They also announced that they would ban plastic straws and tiny plastic beads. The UK wanted to help developing countries stop plastic and other pollution from getting into the oceans. They asked other Commonwealth countries to do the same.

Five countries joined the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Alliance: the UK, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Vanuatu, and Ghana.

Making Cyberspace Safer

The Commonwealth countries all agreed to a plan called the Commonwealth Cyber Declaration. This means leaders will work together. They want to make their online systems safer and better at responding to cyberattacks by 2020.

Who Attended CHOGM 2018?

Commonwealth Foreign Ministers - 2018 (26673968607)
Foreign ministers present at CHOGM 2018

Leaders from 53 Commonwealth countries attended the meeting. Many countries were represented by their top leaders, like presidents or prime ministers. Some were represented by other important officials, like foreign ministers.

Queen Elizabeth II was there as the Head of the Commonwealth. Charles, Prince of Wales also attended. The Commonwealth Secretariat, which helps run the Commonwealth, was represented by its Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland.

Here are some of the key people who attended:

What Was Achieved?

At the end of the meeting, the leaders released a statement. In it, they promised to:

  • Work to stop all forms of unfair treatment against women.
  • Make sure young people's needs are part of national plans.
  • Help people with disabilities and stop unfair ideas about them.
  • Agree to new rules for watching elections in member countries.
  • Improve how countries respond to large groups of refugees. They want refugees to return home safely.
  • Adopt a plan to connect countries for trade and investment.
  • Adopt the Commonwealth Blue Charter to protect the world's oceans.
  • Adopt the Commonwealth Cyber Declaration for a safe and open internet.
  • Work together to fight climate change, especially helping small island nations.
  • Agree that Rwanda would host the next CHOGM in 2020.
  • Agree that Samoa would host the CHOGM in 2022.

The leaders also officially announced that Prince Charles would be the next Head of the Commonwealth.

Other Commonwealth Events

Before the main meeting, several other events took place. These were called Commonwealth Summit Forums. They were held from April 16 to 19. About 5,000 people attended, including government officials, business leaders, and community groups.

These forums included:

  • A Women's Forum
  • A Youth Forum
  • A Peoples Forum
  • A Business Forum

For the first time, all four forums had a joint meeting on April 17. Many important people attended these forums. UK Prime Minister Theresa May opened the Business Forum. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa gave a main speech at the Business Forum dinner.

Members of the Royal Family also took part in these events. These included Charles, Prince of Wales, and the Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. Also present were Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex with Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. They hosted and attended many receptions and events.

Prince Harry, in his new role as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador, opened the Youth Forum. He told the young people that they are the answer to today's challenges. On the last day, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attended an event to support women's empowerment and girls' education.

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