1. The Commonwealth
Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) held its thirty-fifth
regular meeting in London on 28 April 2011.
2. The Meeting was
chaired by Hon Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, Minister for
Foreign Affairs of Ghana. It was also attended by Hon
Kevin Rudd, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia;
Hon Dr Dipu Moni, Minister for Foreign Affairs of
Bangladesh; Hon Ahmed Naseem, Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Maldives; Hon Utoni Nujoma, Minister of
Foreign Affairs of Namibia; Hon Murray McCully, Minister
of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand; H.E. Anthony Johnson,
High Commissioner of Jamaica to the United Kingdom; H.E.
Garvin Nicholas, High Commissioner of Trinidad and
Tobago to the United Kingdom; and H.E. Roy Mickey Joy,
High Commissioner of Vanuatu to the United Kingdom.
3. CMAG continued its
deliberations on how the functioning of the Group could
be refined in order to improve its effectiveness as the
custodian of the Commonwealth’s fundamental political
values. This is in accordance with the decision of
Commonwealth Heads of Government at their 2009 Meeting (CHOGM),
that consideration be given to strengthening the role of
CMAG, to enable the Group to deal with the full range of
serious or persistent violations of Commonwealth values.
In this context, the Group focused on how CMAG could
function more proactively and engage constructively with
member countries where such values may be under threat.
The outcomes of CMAG’s consideration will be presented
to Heads of Government at the next CHOGM, to be held in
Perth, Australia, on 28-30 October 2011.
FIJI
4.. CMAG reiterated
its regret about the lack of progress made towards
restoring civilian constitutional democracy in Fiji,
necessitating its continued suspension from the
Commonwealth. CMAG reaffirmed the Commonwealth’s
solidarity with the people of Fiji, and urged the
Government of Fiji to take concrete steps toward
restoring democracy, respecting human rights and
upholding the rule of law, in line with Commonwealth
values and principles.
5. The Group expressed
strong concern about the continued imposition of the
Public Emergency Regulation (PER), and noted in
particular the significant number of reported incidents
of arbitrary arrest, torture and ill-treatment of
persons in the first quarter of 2011. The Group strongly
urged the Government of Fiji to lift the PER without
delay and respect the human rights of all its people.
6. CMAG encouraged the
government and all other stakeholders to engage, in good
faith and without delay, in efforts toward an inclusive,
independent and unrestricted national dialogue on Fiji’s
political future.
7. The Group welcomed
the Commonwealth’s ongoing efforts to engage with the
Government of Fiji and other stakeholders, including
through the Secretary-General’s Special Representative,
and reaffirmed the Commonwealth’s readiness to provide
assistance to Fiji in appropriate ways on its path back
to civilian constitutional democracy, as well as respect
for human rights and the rule of law.
8. CMAG noted the
discussions held between the Government of Fiji and the
Pacific Islands Forum Ministerial Contact Group in Port
Vila, Vanuatu, on 14 February 2011, and welcomed the
invitation extended to that Group by the Government of
Fiji to visit the country in the near future.
CMAG further noted the
meeting of leaders of the Melanesian Spearhead Group
held on 31 March 2011, and that Group’s support for
ongoing Commonwealth engagement with Fiji. CMAG
reaffirmed the Commonwealth’s continued commitment to
working in close co-operation and consultation with
bilateral, regional and international partners in
relation to the Fiji situation.
London
28 April 2011