#CHOGM2018 - Commonwealth Summit 2018

[-:Undertaker:-]

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news...ummit-10143326

Commonwealth Summit 2018

Britain this week hosts the largest ever summit of its kind with renewed emphasis on the organisation as the UK leaves the EU in just under a year

The #Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 53 independent and equal sovereign states. We are a voice for small and vulnerable states and a champion for young people.

Learn more about the Commonwealth during the week of #CHOGM2018:https://t.co/RZbTzvrrEI#ourCommonwealth pic.twitter.com/bSwTJKZdjs

— The Commonwealth (@commonwealthsec) April 16, 2018

Today marks the start of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (#CHOGM2018). 53 flags from #OurCommonwealth nations fly proudly in Parliament Square, as we welcome their leaders for the biggest summit the UK has ever hosted. pic.twitter.com/OAlnAPQsfw

— GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland Campaign (@GREATBritain) April 16, 2018

On the eve of #CHOGM2018, Buckingham Palace is illuminated with a special rainforest projection. It's part of the @QueensCanopy conservation project which aims to preserve trees and forests across #ourCommonwealth #commonwealthcanopy@RoyalFamily @TheRCSLondon pic.twitter.com/Eh0ohpEBv6

— UK in the Commonwealth (@UKinCW) April 15, 2018

Britain is hoping this week's Commonwealth summit will boost trade with its historic partners as it prepares to quit the European single market after Brexit.

The UK is pouncing on the organisation's analysis showing the advantages of trade between Commonwealth countries due to their common language and legal systems.

But some are warning that Britain's trade with Commonwealth nations lags so far behind that with its European Union neighbours that a straight replacement is impossible.

The 53 member states are gathering for their biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), being hosted this year in London.

Welcome to #CHOGM2018.

What’s agreed this week matters to all of us. #ourCommonwealth@commonwealthsec @10downingstreet @royalfamily @foreignofficeuk @CWEICofficial @commonwealthorg @ComSecYouth @bycLIVE pic.twitter.com/L2WKetk7pE

— UK in the Commonwealth (@UKinCW) April 16, 2018

On 19th and 20th April I will participate in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. India attaches great importance to our ties with the Commonwealth Nations. I hope to have fruitful talks with various leaders taking part in the Meeting in UK. https://t.co/JBJAj1wg45

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 15, 2018

The summit proper takes place on Thursday and Friday but kicked off Monday with three days of forums and events that lay the groundwork.

Born out of the former British empire, the voluntary organisation, covering a third of the world's population, focuses on development and democracy, but is placing greater attention on boosting trade.

Intra-Commonwealth trade is expected to increase by at least 17 per cent to around US$700 billion by 2020, according to the 2018 Commonwealth Trade Review.

There are "opportunities for the UK in the post-Brexit period to ... negotiate new bilateral trade agreements with interested Commonwealth members," the report said.

The flags of 53 #Commonwealth countries line the Mall in #London, in anticipation for the start of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (#CHOGM2018).

The theme of 2018 and this year’s CHOGM is ‘Towards a common future’. #ourCommonwealth pic.twitter.com/V4RxzlXuei

— The Commonwealth (@commonwealthsec) April 15, 2018

Did you know total 🇬🇧 trade with the Commonwealth was £94.4 billion in 2016, 2.1% ⬆️ on 2015. @LiamFox shares his vision on future trade with #ourCommonwealth ahead of #CHOGM2018. You can read the full @theHouse_mag article here 👇 https://t.co/A2mm8vfnLf

— Department for Business and Trade (@biztradegovuk) April 16, 2018

Britain is set to leave the EU in March 2019. It is seeking new trade deals outside the European single market and is looking to its former global network to make up for any slack.

London is going for the hard sell during CHOGM, hosting a reception aimed at showcasing British exports, from food and drink to the English Premier League football trophy.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said: "Our Commonwealth family already accounts for one fifth of global trade, and we must continue to work together to build further upon this solid foundation by building on our existing trade links and establishing new ones."

The Commonwealth's business chief Jonathan Marland told The Times newspaper that it would be a "dereliction of duty" if Britain failed to boost exports to member states and persuade them to commit formally to free trade.

Queen Elizabeth II, the Head of the Commonwealth, is hosting a dinner for the leaders on Thursday at Buckingham Palace in London. On Friday they gather in private at Windsor Castle, west of the city.

She has newly appointed her grandson Prince Harry, 33, as her Commonwealth youth ambassador.

What I always advocated is happening.(sunglasses)

[-:Undertaker:-]

HM The Queen has just formally opened the Commonwealth summit in the Buckingham Palace throne room.

The Queen will today host the #CHOGM2018 Formal Opening at Buckingham Palace.
Her Majesty & Members of The Royal Family have visited all 53 Commonwealth countries & representatives are to be welcomed to The Palace as @Commonwealth18 is opened. https://t.co/1djWiPvRjm pic.twitter.com/srSZzVs7Ti

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) April 19, 2018

Watch Live: We will be streaming the Formal Opening of #CHOGM2018 – including Her Majesty The Queen's speech - on our @facebook page @royalfamily after 10am @Commonwealth18 -https://t.co/AipgEZhjW9 pic.twitter.com/exAhK5PZHZ

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) April 19, 2018

HRH Prince of Wales welcomes Commonwealth leaders as the formal opening of #CHOGM2018 gets underway inside the Ballroom in Buckingham Palace.@RoyalFamily pic.twitter.com/WNotZb21hi

— UK in the Commonwealth (@UKinCW) April 19, 2018

It's expected the HRH The Prince of Wales will be confirmed as the next Head of the Commonwealth at this summit as strangely the position isn't automatically linked to that of the Commonwealth realm monarchy.

I have my Commonwealth flag flying on the flagpole. (sunglasses)

[Zak]

I get the feeling the Commonwealth is what the European Union should be?

Anyway, thanks for posting this Dan. I love the Twitter widgets, makes for easy reading.

I feel a more a part of the Commonwealth than Europe. I'd love freedom of movement between Canada, Aus and NZ.

Hopefully the smaller nations will benefit in the long-run.

[alexxxxx]

thought i'd log in for the first time in a couple of years and is see dan has now moved towards wanting to annex the Republic of Ireland. i'm far too old to post on this forum now

i'm sort of surprised that there hasn't been calls to modernise the commonwealth and remove the queen and british influence right at the top.

i also see this forum has basically died as well. rip habbo(x).

[-:Undertaker:-]

"Modernise"

That word people use when they want to needlessly ruin something that works perfectly fine...

[-:Undertaker:-]

@Zak;

Interesting what you said about feeling more a part of the Commonwealth than Europe, came across diaspora statistics again over Britons settling abroad. Apparently there's more British living in Australia than there is the whole of Europe combined.

Anyway in more Commonwealth news as the summit draws to a close with a banquet at Windsor Castle...

Commonwealth leaders agree that Prince Charles will be the next head of the organisation, it is understood https://t.co/1YyKJk2Brr

— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) April 20, 2018

Contrast the mutually respectful and friendly tone at the Commonwealth summit with the hectoring coming from Brussels. pic.twitter.com/LlHby8lRLC

— Daniel Hannan (@DanielJHannan) April 20, 2018

Finally, what a great picture below!

[Zak]

That's an interesting statistic. It annoyed me a little when Britain decided to leave the EU and people were harping on about working abroad (EU).. guaranteed 95% of those people would never in the EU and those that did would be granted citizenship. It's much more likely people will travel to EU countries for business though, I'm in London at the moment for that very reason.

[lawrawrrr]

That's an interesting statistic. It annoyed me a little when Britain decided to leave the EU and people were harping on about working abroad (EU).. guaranteed 95% of those people would never in the EU and those that did would be granted citizenship. It's much more likely people will travel to EU countries for business though, I'm in London at the moment for that very reason.

If you've got 24 years this is v interesting read about the EU/Commonwealth/Brexit debate:

https://www.theguardian.com/news/201...xit-leaving-eu

[Zak]

Regarding the title: Brexiteers banking on the Commonwealth? I hardly think so. It's likely we leave the EU in name only.

Thanks Laura - I'll read the full article when I get chance If it's scaremongering, I'll stop reading

[-:Undertaker:-]

If you've got 24 years this is v interesting read about the EU/Commonwealth/Brexit debate:

https://www.theguardian.com/news/201...xit-leaving-eu

The thing is though, while much of what he says is true (we did abandon the Commonwealth, Commonwealth trade as a % of our GDP is low and the Commonwealth is unlikely to secure pan-Commonwealth trade deals) much of this is to our benefit and/or can be improved upon. It says a lot that despite abandoning them, they're still there for us. That's blood.

Whilst we abandoned them, they've come back to us - this was the first Commonwealth summit in a decade the Indian premier has attended while many are openly saying they're ready to sign FTAs with us. Commonwealth trade as a % of our GDP will grow enormously over the next few decades as those economies grow, and pan-Commonwealth trade deals would be far too rigid (like the EU) for us, so why not just use the organisation as a forum to help faciliate FTAs between member states rather than attempting a pan-Commonwealth FTA which would simply end up being diluted and not suiting all the member states, as per the EU?

The author misunderstands what we mean - we don't want to build the Commonwealth on the EU model or seek to "replace" the EU with a similar structure because it is the EU model which we found too monolithic and controlling. The Commonwealth should remain flexible and remain a forum for sovereign independent states. Nobody seeks to build a United States of the Commonwealth!