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Go
to Home Matthew E.K. Neuhaus
Director, Political
Commonwealth Secretariat
Let me begin with my congratulations to Commonwealth Round Table of Australia (CRTA) – established out of CHOGM, and doing great work promoting the Commonwealth in Australia.
The 21st Century Commonwealth - No relic of Empire
I am happy to report that despite some two or three decades of press reporting that the Commonwealth’s demise as a relic of British Empire was imminent, it is stronger than ever, and a major multilateral organisation in the 21st Century. I am sorry to disappoint the press, who have long been predicting its imminent end.
It met the challenge of Zimbabwe at its last CHOGM and is stronger for the experience, having stood firmly for principle. Headlines “Commonwealth collapses over Zimbabwe” or “classic Commonwealth Fudge on Zimbabwe” did not occur.
The 21st Century Commonwealth of course values its history, which gives it considerable strength. Amongst the legacy it has inherited from its past are:
• Parliamentary government
• The Rule of Law and independence of the judiciary
• Commitment to individual liberty and human rights
• Free enterprise and importance of economic and social development
• Above all, the English language which allows its 53 nations to communicate
and probably makes it the largest multi-national organisation which does not
need translation facilities.
Democracy, Development and Diversity
Speaking recently to the Royal College of Defence Studies in London, the Secretary-General, Don McKinnon spoke of the Commonwealth’s 3 “Ds” – Democracy, Development and Diversity. This sums up much of what the modern Commonwealth does. You will forgive me if I concentrate a little more today on Democracy as that is the primary focus of the work of my Division, and my role as Political Director.
Democracy
The Political Affairs Division has 5 sections:
• Democracy – which
is responsible for our well-recognised work in Election Observing, building
democratic institutions and education in good governance.
• Good Offices
• Asia Section
• Africa Section
• Pacific/Caribbean Section
On the democracy front, in the 18 months since I joined, we have observed elections in Kenya, Nigeria, Zanzibar in Tanzania, Swaziland, Antigua & Barbuda, Sri Lanka, Malawi and Vanuatu. Some like Kenya and Antigua and Barbuda have witnessed changes in government after decades of the former governing party’s control. I would like here to play tribute to the work of former ACT Senator and Senate President Margaret Reid for her chairing of April’s Sri Lanka Observer Group – in a particularly challenging environment. I should also highlight our recent joint observation with the Forum Secretariat in Vanuatu – a first for our co-operation in ForSec, and a result of its recent greater engagement in good governance.
But we don’t just send in our teams to observe elections. In the lead up to the elections, we often send, months ahead, experts to provide training and technical assistance to the Electoral Commissions to help ensure they have the capacity to carry out their work. We also follow up after elections on COG recommendations. The Secretary-General will use his good offices with political leaders to help create the environment for free and fair elections. We have electoral heads and leading MPs on our COGs to other countries. [I think it helped, for example, to have the Head of Kenyan Electoral Commission, Mr Kivuitu, on our Zimbabwe Group – he was determined as a result to avoid the same problems in Kenya].
A good example of our approach is currently on Cameroon which holds elections later this year. Have been using good offices over the last two years, led by the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy Christine Stewart (a Canadian former Secretary of State), to build an environment more conducive to elections. Have used experts, primarily from nearby Ghana to build up the capacity of the electoral commission. Also building up Parliament, Judiciary, Human Rights Institution. Currently, our Deputy Secretary-General Mrs Mugasha (from Uganda) in Cameroon giving a high level push to this activity.
Another activity I want to highlight are our democracy workshops. In recent years these have included a focus on developing the conditions for democracy, and engaging youth in the political process. Earlier this year we started a series on “Government and Opposition: Rights, Roles and Responsibilities”. Even in the developed Commonwealth, it is often hard for politicians to see that in a democracy, Government and Opposition are simply opposite sides of the same coin, and both have an essential role. We started with Southern Africa – with a workshop in Mozambique in January (sadly too late to include Zimbabwe), are taking it to the Caribbean later this year, and hope to bring it to the Pacific in the New Year.
Good Offices
A good offices section was established in 2003, following from the mandate of the Coolum CHOGM. Australia can take considerable credit for this development. Helps countries deal with internal political divisions, in situations where UN and others can’t go. Currently we have good offices activity in:
• Cameroon (democratic reforms)
• The Gambia (democratic reforms)
• Kenya (bringing the various parties together)
• Tanzania (Zanzibar) (address political divisions on Zanzibar)
• Swaziland (working for a Constitution and on judicial issues)
• Tonga (working on parliamentary reforms)
• Guyana (working to have Govt & Opposition work together)
Till recently we would also have included Fiji, and Lesotho on the list. We have also been working on democracy and political issues in amongst others Uganda, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives and St Kitts & Nevis.
Recently the Secretary-General gave examples of our good offices activity in Cameroon, Fiji and Guyana. I have already mentioned Cameroon. Here is what he said on Fiji and Guyana:
“In Fiji our good offices engagement have been facilitated by my Special Envoy, Justice Pius Langa – Vice-President of the Constituional court of South Africa.
This engagement has focused on facilitating dialogue between the political parties, encouraging the formation of government in accordance with the Constitution and promoting national reconciliation. Last May CMAG decide to remove Fiji from its agenda, following progress in regard to strengthening democracy and respect for the rule of law.
In Guyana, Sir Paul reeves (a former Governor-General of New Zealand) has been engaged as my Special Envoy since August 2002.
The objective of his engagement is to promote dialogue between the main political parties with a view to developing more inclusiveness in the political life of the country.
This dialogue has started and has already resulted in an agreement on a process of reform in the areas of election management, the constitution, capacity building for parliament and good governance.
These are just some of the examples of the work we do to help prevent conflicts. Not much is known about many of these interventions because, byt their very nature, they have to be discreet”.
Trade Justice & Development
Let’s move on to another D – Development, and particularly the Commonwealth’s focus on trade justice and building market access for developing nations through the WTO. This more than any amount of development aid (important as that is) will help create prosperity for our developing members – and they know it.
The Commonwealth took a high profile on this issue following failure of Cancun. It:
• Issued a statement on Multilateral Trade in Abuja in December which stressed this commitment to an “effective, equitable, rules-based multilateral trading system, developed under the auspices of the WTO to support pro-poor development and democracy”
• Despatched a Ministerial Trade Mission immediately after Abuja to encourage renewal of talks
• Has been actively engaged in Geneva, where established a facility with EU funding to assist developing members engage with WTO
• Hold talks with the EU, in Washington and with other key players, on these issues.
• So we were very pleased with this week’s outcome in Geneva with WTO talks back on track, and real improvements in market access to EU and USA markets for agricultural produce.
I also want to mention the Development & Democracy Report. This was an important activity last year with group of experts led by new PM of India, Manmohan Singh. Robert Champion de Crespigny – the Australian member – was chosen specifically to give a realistic, commercially oriented approach amongst the mix of skills and experience on the group. The report has helped focus thinking. Its essence is now contained in the Aso Rock Declaration from Abuja. It is very important in articulating the Commonwealth leaders’ commitment “to make democracy work better for pro-poor development by implementing sustainable development programmes and enhancing democratic institutions and processes”.
But perhaps the Commonwealth’s most important contribution under development is the main experts we fund under CFTC to assist our developing members with advice on legal, economic, health, public sector issues and so on. The fund is small – about $50 million, but the impact huge.
Diversity - Working with Others (including NEPAD)
Because of its diversity, the Commonwealth is well placed to build strategic partnerships with other partners and international organisations. I want to highlight the engagement with the :
• UN (on conflict situations,
good offices – eg in Guyana and Swaziland) The Commonwealth also manages
an Office in New York to allow its smaller members to be represented at the
U.N.)
• EU ( The Commonwealth provides experts for ACP engagement in Brussels.
EU assists with funding. Some of our activities including representation for
small states at the WHO in Geneva and the hub and spokes economic advisory
service
• La Francophonie
• African Union
• Pacific Islands Forum
• and indeed the US administration in Washington (eg on Caribbean, Pakistan,
Pacific, Africa and other issues)
I would also like to highlight New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)
• an important initiative
for Africa, focus in partnership
• also recognition through its peer review mechanism that African leaders
need to be responsible for good governance
• Very new Secretariat, need technical assistance support
• Been important to our relationship with South Africa.
Recent Challenges
Zimbabwe – sadly, following the Abuja CHOGM, Zimbabwe is no longer a member of the Commonwealth. But this does not mean that the Commonwealth is no longer concerned or engaged on Zimbabwe.
Indeed, it is worth reminding ourselves, the main issue for some three decades for the Commonwealth from 1963 to 1994, was a member which withdrew and is now back with us – South Africa.
The encouraging thing about the Abuja CHOGM was the way in which the whole membership from Africa, the Caribbean, the Pacific, Asia and the developed members agreed that Zimbabwe’s suspension could not be lifted unless certain issues of principle were addressed. There were differences, including on approach, but not over concern on principle.
The way ahead now depends very much on Africa’s leaders, and particularly President Obasanjo of Nigeria (who is concurrently Chair of the Commonwealth and Chair of the AU) and President Mbeki of South Africa They are engaged. At the beginning of July met with President Obasanjo in London. President Mbeki has been holding talks over last couple of months with MDC and ZANU PF.
Short term outlook is not promising. Indeed, President Mugabe likely to press ahead with elections in 2005 or earlier, which we and UN will not be able to observe, and which will aim to demolish MDC as a political force and shore up his position. Humanitarian situation not promising. But over longer term, as occurred in Nigeria and Ghana under military rule and apartheid South Africa, I am confident a deeper democracy will be developed in Zimbabwe. Commonwealth will always be there for the people of Zimbabwe – working, waiting, pressing for change, ready to seize the moment.
Pakistan
• Steps through CMAG –
elections, strengthening of Parliament, President Musharraf commitment on
relinquishing role of Chief of Army Sergeant
• Remains on CMAG agenda
• Suspension lifted by CMAG at last meeting
• Continuing engagement to develop Democracy
Solomon Islands
• Came off CMAG agenda, after
Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) and positive developments
• Providing further support – Parliament, electoral commission,
CYP office returning, support to judicial services
Australia’s Role
I was asked recently “What does the Commonwealth do for Australia?” I would respond, recalling President Kennedy, that this is the wrong question. Rather as one of the Commonwealth’s wealthiest and oldest members, the question should be “What can Australia do for the Commonwealth?”
It does in fact do a lot. It provides some 10 per cent of the budget, as the third largest contributor. It has played a leading role in the Pacific region, helping Commonwealth members like Nauru, PNG and Solomon Islands. It has stood for principle on Zimbabwe and worked for trade justice at the WTO. Of course it can always do more, and I for one would argue its contribution to the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation, which provides technical support and experts to developing nations. And throughout my career, I have always argued that Australia should make greater use of multilateral bodies like the UN and Commonwealth to balance its necessarily regionally focused bilateral activity.
But I am not arguing for altruism. As a member of the Commonwealth, Australia is able to engage with areas of the world like Africa and the Caribbean with which it might otherwise have little contact. It is able to strengthen its links with Asian countries like India, Malaysia, Singapore and Pakistan which are important to its regional security and economic development. And it has an important multilateral partner for working together in its home region of the Pacific. Sometimes, this can have unexpected benefits. Last year, I was at the CARICOM Caribbean leaders meeting with the Secretary-General, when he was able to deflect criticism of the mission in the Solomon Islands and Australia in a region scarred by U.S. intervention after the Grenada intervention by explaining its true nature – not another big power intervention but an exercise in regional co-operation and support to a fellow country. The Commonwealth has also helped build allies for Australia at the WTO in the bid to open markets for primary producers.
Looking ahead to Malta
A great location
Theme (or may be themes)
• IT focus – using
more for developing Commonwealth
• EU engagement
• Tourism
• WTO
A new CHOGM format likely – shorter but more retreat focused. What leaders want. The Civil Society elements – increasingly important. Peoples Forum, Youth Forum, Business Forum.
Conclusion
• Hope have answered the
question what does the Commonwealth do?
• Hope have also shown its effectiveness in the 21st Century. While
we have our problems, with the exception of Zimbabwe (now no longer a member)
most are being managed. Contract some of the real hot spots in the world today
– Sudan, Iraq, Israel, Pakistan, Burma – all which would have
been eligible to the Commonwealth members. The fact they aren’t may
not be irrelevant.
• Agree Commonwealth needs to do more to promote itself, especially in developed countries like Australia. Thanks for this opportunity to do that here.
Quote
Fiji Islands
In Fiji, our good offices engagements are facilitated by my Special Envoy,
Justice Pius Langa – Vice-President of the Constitutional Court of South
Africa.
This engagement has focused on facilitating dialogue between the political parties, encouraging the formation of a government in accordance with the Constitution and promoting national reconciliation.
Last May, CMAG decided to remove Fiji from its agenda, following progress in regard to strengthening democracy and respect for the rule of law.
Guyana
In Guyana, Sir Paul Reeves (a former Governor-General of New Zealand) has
been engaged as my Special Envoy since August 2002.
The objective of his engagement is to promote dialogue between the main political parties with a view to developing more inclusiveness in the political life of the country.
This dialogue has started and has already resulted in an agreement on a process of reform in the areas of election management, the constitution, capacity building for parliament and good governance.
These are just some examples of the work we do to help prevent conflicts. Not much is known about many of these interventions because, by their very nature, they have to be discreet.
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