LOCATION Arusha

SPEAKER British High Commissioner Diane Corner

EVENT British Council Management Forum in Arusha on the purpose and relevance of the Commonwealth, Aid and Trade

DATE 01/10/2009

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

I'm delighted to welcome you all here tonight, to this latest event in the British Council's Management Forum series. It's the first time that the Forum has been held in Arusha, and I hope that those who are new to this event will find it both useful and enjoyable. And I'd encourage you to attend future Management Forums too!

Tonight, as Arusha prepares to play host to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association's Annual Conference, our focus will be on the Commonwealth.
As the Commonwealth turns 60 in 2009, this landmark year offers the perfect opportunity to reflect upon the past and to consider what the future may hold for the association. 

The Commonwealth is a unique, highly diverse and global family of 53 countries and 2 billion people stretching across all the world’s continents.  It encompasses some of the wealthiest countries in the world alongside some of the poorest; some of the most powerful alongside some of the most vulnerable.

Across a number of member countries, awareness of the association and its work is at an all time low.  A major poll recently commissioned by the Royal Commonwealth Society indicates too few people understand the purpose or appreciate the work of the Commonwealth.  For instance, only 23% of Canadians and 34% of South Africans could name any activities undertaken by the Commonwealth.

At its birth the Commonwealth’s purpose was clear.  It provided a link between Britain and its former colonies; a relationship close enough to reflect historic ties, but distant enough to respect the independence of its members. But what should its role be today, and for the next 60 years? Indeed, does it have a future?

To quote one of our distinguished speakers tonight, Danny Sriskandarajah, Director of the Royal Commonwealth Society, “the Commonwealth now faces tension between drawing on historical ties and being a truly modern association.  Otherwise it risks being drowned out in an ever more crowded field of international organisations, many with a clearer purpose, more collective will and better resources.  To secure the future of the Commonwealth, clarity of direction, identity and purpose is vital.  We must ensure that it reflects the interests and aspirations of its citizens, that it creates opportunities and opens networks for them whether in business, education, sport or politics.”

On Monday 20th July 2009, the British Foreign Secretary launched the Commonwealth Conversation, a global debate on the future of the Commonwealth led independently by the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS).

At the heart of the Commonwealth Conversation lies the need to engage not just governments but other opinion formers, media and civil society, business people like many of you here tonight - a wide range of citizens, and especially young people.  Half of the current Commonwealth population are young people aged 25 or under, who will inherit responsibility for direction and influence of Commonwealth for future generations.

Commonwealth leaders will gather in November in Trinidad & Tobago and this will offer the perfect opportunity to listen to the views of the people of the Commonwealth, and to assess how it can add value to the international community for years to come.  The results of the Conversation will influence Heads of Commonwealth governments and their officials; the Commonwealth Secretariat; members of our parliaments; Commonwealth and other civil society organisations; business leaders; the media and commentators.

I'd encourage everyone here tonight to join the debate.  Have a look at the RCS website at www.thecommonwealthconversation.org for more information, or pick up one of the leaflets here which give you further background information.

Tonight, I'm very pleased to be able to introduce two very distinguished speakers.
Dr Danny Sriskandarajah, the Director of the Royal Commonwealth Society, will be speaking about the purpose and the relevance of the Commonwealth. Prior to joining the RCS, Dr Sriskandarajah spent five years at the Institute for Public Policy Research, the UK's leading think-tank. Dr Sriskandarajah is also a noted expert on migration issues.

Nigel Evans MP will be speaking about trade and the Commonwealth. Nigel has been a member of the UK parliament since 1992, and is a member of the International Development Select Committee, vice-chair of the British Inter-Parliamentary Union, and also is an executive member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, as well as being Vice-Chair for the British Council Associate Parliamentary Group. Nigel is also chair of the All-Party Group on Export and Egypt.

We also have a distinguished moderator, Tanzanian journalist, Ayub Rioba. And without more ado, I'm going to thank you all again for coming tonight, and leave you in Ayub's very capable hands.

Thank you.

Notes for Editors

Management Forums have become a platform for dicussing issues of contemporary interest to the business community, based around topics such as: finance, governance, globalisation, education & skills, human resource. Its principal aim is to broaden the professional  horizons of participants by facilitating the sharing of experience, knowledge and ideas.

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