Prince Charles affirmed Friday, June 24 in Kigali, at the opening of the meeting of the leaders of the Commonwealth, that the Member States were free to abandon the bosom of the monarchy and expressed his “sadnessfor Britain’s slave past.
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This CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) summit is being held in Rwanda, which joined the Commonwealth in 2009, at a time when the association with the 54 Member States is going through deep questions, in a period of transition for the British monarchy and questioning the colonialist past. In 14 of the Member States, Queen Elizabeth II is the Head of State, and some of them have made no secret of their desire to distance themselves from the monarchy, in the wake of Barbados which has officially proclaimed a republic in November 2021.
“I cannot describe the depth of my sadness”
“The Commonwealth has countries within it that have had constitutional ties to my family, some that continue to have them, and a growing number that do not.said Prince Charles, who represents his mother Queen Elizabeth II, head of the Commonwealth. “I want to make it clear, as I have said before, that the constitutional regime of each member, whether as a republic or a monarchy, is solely a matter for the decision of each member state“, he insisted, in front of dozens of leaders including the British prime ministers Boris Johnson and Canadian Justin Trudeau.
The heir to the British Crown also acknowledged that the roots of the Commonwealth “dive deep into the most painful time in our history“. “I cannot describe the depth of my personal sadness at the suffering of so many people, as I continue to deepen my understanding of the lasting effects of slavery.“, did he declare.
“Prejudice”
CHOGM is amid controversy over a deal to deport illegal migrants from the UK to Rwanda, which has sparked outrage from many human rights NGOs, the UN and the Anglican Church. According to the British press, Prince Charles also privately expressed his disagreement with this device, which he described as “appalling“. The British government has promised to persist with this program of deportations, which was blocked at the last minute on June 14 by a decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
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Prince Charles met Boris Johnson on Friday morning. But the British Prime Minister indicated that he would not detail the content of the interview. “There are many prejudices about Rwanda that need to be swept away“, he repeated Friday to the British media. Boris Johnson praised the “giant stepmade by Rwanda, a small country in East Africa which has experienced spectacular economic development since the end of the 1994 genocide. However, he is regularly criticized for his human rights policy.
Upstream of CHOGM, 23 NGOs recalled in an open letter their “serious concerns” on this subject. At the same time, the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo had asked the United Kingdom to condemn Rwanda, which it accuses of “assaultin eastern Congo and to support the M23 armed group.
Togo and Gabon integrated
The CHOGM, which is due to end on Saturday, should see the integration of two new members, Togo and Gabon. “New nations are looking to join, showing everything you need to know about the health and vitality of our Commonwealthsaid Boris Johnson. The summit is also expected to result in fierce competition for the leadership of the organization.
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Jamaican Kamina Johnson Smith is challenging Britain’s Patricia Scotland for the post of general secretary, despite a convention of the organization which provides that the incumbent must run unopposed for a second term. Kamina Johnson Smith, Jamaica’s foreign minister, has the support of the United Kingdom, which has publicly expressed its dissatisfaction with the management of Patricia Scotland, who also has Dominican nationality.
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