At the 26th Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers’ Meeting (CFAMM) in London last week, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper reinforced the UK’s commitment to working multilaterally with the Commonwealth, a diverse network of 56 nations representing 2.7 billion people. The meeting was chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister of Samoa Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molioo, the Commonwealth’s current Chair-in-Office, and attended by 36 Ministers, with other senior officials and High Commissioners.
The Foreign Ministers, who last met in New York in September in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly, discussed the future of multilateralism and the Commonwealth’s role. Ministers agreed the Commonwealth had an important role to play as a values-based forum that cuts across geography and geopolitics. They called for greater Commonwealth visibility and for using the Commonwealth to better coordinate positions ahead of wider multilateral discussions.
The Foreign Secretary highlighted the scale of global crises, from Ukraine to Sudan, as well as rising protectionism and technological fragmentation. She argued the Commonwealth can bring together broader global coalitions committed to democracy, the rule of law, free and sustainable trade, and tackling poverty and humanitarian challenges. She expressed strong support for the Commonwealth Secretary-General’s reform plan.
The Foreign Secretary stressed the need for the Commonwealth to generate strong economic proposals ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November, emphasising the importance of stimulating trade and investment across the 56 member states. She also noted the Commonwealth’s potential to contribute to the clean energy transition and improve access by vulnerable states to climate finance mechanisms.
Chris Elmore MP, FCDO Minister with responsibility for the Commonwealth, also briefed Foreign Ministers on the Commonwealth Investment Network, an initiative championed by the United Kingdom to encourage private investment into climate resilient projects and local businesses across the Commonwealth.
While in London for the Ministerial meeting, visiting Foreign Ministers attended the Commonwealth Day Service in Westminster Abbey on 9 March, a wreath laying ceremony at Memorial Gates, and a Commonwealth flag raising ceremony in Parliament.