Commonwealth Chair-in-Office facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chair-in-Office of the Commonwealth of Nations
Incumbent Boris Johnson since 24 July 2019
Term length	2 years
Inaugural holder	Thabo Mbeki
Formation	12 November 1999
Website	Chair-in-Office

The Commonwealth Chair-in-Office (CIO) is a very important leadership role within the Commonwealth of Nations. Think of it like the main leader or spokesperson for the Commonwealth for a certain time. The person who holds this job is the leader of the country that hosted the most recent Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). They keep this role until the next big meeting happens.

What is the Commonwealth Chair-in-Office?

The Commonwealth of Nations is a group of countries that used to be part of the British Empire. Today, they work together on shared goals like democracy, development, and peace. The Chair-in-Office is the main leader who helps guide this group.

Role of the Chair-in-Office

The Chair-in-Office acts as the main representative for the Commonwealth. They speak for the group and help make sure its goals are met. This person also leads important discussions and meetings.

How is the Chair Chosen?

The leader of the country that hosts the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) automatically becomes the Chair-in-Office. This meeting happens every two years. So, the Chair-in-Office usually holds the position for about two years.

Who Has Been the Chair-in-Office?

Since the role was created in 1999, several leaders from different Commonwealth countries have held this important position. They each played a part in leading the Commonwealth during their time.

• Thabo Mbeki from South Africa was the very first Chair-in-Office, starting in 1999.
• John Howard from Australia took over in 2002.
• Olusegun Obasanjo from Nigeria became Chair in 2003.
• Lawrence Gonzi from Malta held the role starting in 2005.
• Yoweri Museveni from Uganda was the Chair from 2007.
• Patrick Manning and later Kamla Persad-Bissessar from Trinidad and Tobago were Chairs after the 2009 meeting.
• Julia Gillard, Kevin Rudd, and Tony Abbott from Australia were Chairs after the 2011 meeting.
• Mahinda Rajapaksa and Maithripala Sirisena from Sri Lanka held the role after the 2013 meeting.
• Joseph Muscat from Malta was Chair from 2015.
• Theresa May and currently Boris Johnson from the United Kingdom have been Chairs since the 2018 meeting.

Each of these leaders helped guide the Commonwealth and its member countries.