* During the 26th Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting (CFAMM) at Lancaster House in London on Sunday, March 8
* Where the Ministers supported a range of reform proposals aimed at enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the Commonwealth
* And underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation among member states amid increasing global uncertainty
By Duncan Mlanjira
Minister of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation, George Chaponda has called upon the Commonwealth to implement time-bound and high-impact programmes that address trade barriers and expand opportunities for intra-Commonwealth trade, which will benefit developing member states such as Malawi.
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According to a report by Malawi Government official Facebook page, the Minister made the call indicates that the on Sunday, March 8, during the 26th Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting (CFAMM) at Lancaster House in London.
The meeting was held day before the commemoration of the Commonwealth Day, which was presided over by King Charles III, under the theme; ‘Unlocking opportunities together for a prosperous Commonwealth’.
Chaponda is reported to have noted that such time-bound and high-impact initiatives are essential for unlocking the multilateral organisation’s full economic potential, for the benefit of its members.
The meeting brought together foreign ministers from across the 56-member Commonwealth of Nations that addressed “the role of the Commonwealth in a fast-changing international landscape” and also explored “impactful and transformative solutions to unlock opportunities together for shared prosperity across the Commonwealth, in the face of a fractured global climate”.
It also deliberated on the organisation’s role in a rapidly changing global environment and to consider ways of repositioning the Commonwealth to respond more effectively to emerging global challenges.
The Ministers supported a range of reform proposals aimed at enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the Commonwealth and underscored the importance of strengthening cooperation among member states amid increasing global uncertainty — enhancing the Commonwealth’s global visibility and strategic partnerships, promoting intra-Commonwealth trade, and providing greater support to more vulnerable states like Malawi.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Minister Chaponda interacted with several high ranking dignitaries, including the United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and the Commonwealth Secretary General Shirley Botchwey.
BBC News reports King Charles and Queen Camilla, alongside Prince and Princess of Wales, and Princess Anne attended the Commonwealth Day at Westminster Abbey along with more than 1,800 guests, including Minister Chaponda.
The BBC report that the King’s Commonwealth message praised the association of 56 countries as a family “united by shared values of justice, democracy, opportunity, compassion and mutual respect”.
The Commonwealth can be a “force for good”, against a backdrop of wars and international tension in which, “communities and nations face the increasing pressures of conflict, climate change and rapid transformation,” said the King’s message, printed alongside the order of service.
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