Our family of nations can forge a better future
Ahead of his visit to Cardiff today, Minister for the Commonwealth, Lord Ahmad explains the role of the Commonwealth in the 21st century
IN A little over two months the UK will host a major summit to bring together leaders from across the Commonwealth.
When most people think of the Commonwealth, they don’t think about politicians; they think of sportsmen and sportswomen competing at the Commonwealth Games.
On my visit to Cardiff today I look forward to meeting some of the athletes who will be representing Wales in the Games this April, and hopefully returning from Australia’s Gold Coast weighed down by medals.
Like so many people, I have been awestruck by the success and selection of 11-year-old table-tennis player Anna Hursey.
The training and dedication necessary for any athlete to qualify and compete at an elite level is immense.
Whatever result Anna achieves, she should be incredibly proud as we are of her.
The Games will bring together many people from across the Commonwealth in a shared love of sport. Like the people of the Commonwealth themselves, the majority of the athletes will be young.
Nearly two thirds of the 2.4 billion people of the Commonwealth are currently under the age of 30.
The vibrancy, imagination and hunger of youth mean that they represent a rich seam of potential.
In a time of shifting global power, the Commonwealth has the resources and potential to be more influential, to show leadership across the world.
Our ambition for the summit is to revitalise this great institution and drive progress so that it can realise its full potential.
For the Commonwealth to succeed, and be relevant for current and future generations, we need to ensure it keeps pace with the extraordinary changes happening in our world.
The Commonwealth has done transformative work in the past: supporting countries through their transition to independence, assisting them in developing free and democratic institutions, and helping to bring about an end to apartheid in South Africa.
The Commonwealth can do transformative work in the future. Commonwealth countries face major common challenges: climate change; security; economic pressures; and threats to our shared values, to name but a few.
Coupled with these challenges are immense opportunities across a range of important areas.
The summit will, therefore, allow us to demonstrate that all 53 members are united in their purpose and actions. That is why its overarching theme is “Towards a Common future”. Our Prime Minister has set out the four priorities on which leaders will seek to agree action.
The first of these is to build a more prosperous future, by boosting trade and investment between us and maximising the opportunities born of our “Commonwealth Advantage” – a common language and legal base that make trade between Commonwealth members up to 19% cheaper and more efficient than with other countries.
The second priority is to ensure a more secure future, by increasing cooperation to tackle security threats such as global terrorism, organised crime and cyber-attacks.
The third priority is to create a more sustainable future.
A number of Commonwealth countries from the Pacific small island states to the Caribbean are amongst the first to have experienced the impacts of climate change, like extreme weather events such as Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
Together we can do more to strengthen the ability of small and vulnerable states to deal with the effects of climate change and other global crises.
Lastly, the fourth priority focuses on a fairer future: promoting our shared values of democracy, fundamental freedoms and good governance as set out in the Commonwealth Charter.
The actions taken at the summit will particularly focus on young people. We need to work hard to meet the aspirations of the young people from Cardiff to Canberra, from Bangor to Bangalore.
If the future relevance of the Commonwealth is to be assured, it is vital that young people are involved in shaping decisions that affect their future, and that includes the young people of Wales.
I will be meeting with representatives from Children in Wales during my time in Wales this week, and I will feed their views and ideas into the summit plans.
Today I am also meeting with people in Cardiff whose families, like mine, came to this country from different parts of the Commonwealth.
These human bonds, which we often call a living bridge, unite countries right across the Commonwealth.
We are bound by shared histories and values which, as St Mary Street on the evening of an autumn international against the Springboks, Wallabies or All Blacks demonstrates, are much stronger than any sporting rivalry.
Another unifying force that has bound this family of nations together has been the tireless work of Her Majesty the Queen.
To celebrate these bonds and our diversity, in the run up to the summit we are inviting people to come together with their neighbours, family and friends, to hold a Commonwealth Big Lunch.
It would be incredible if such an event somewhere in the UK features diners from all 53 member countries.
Perhaps it is a corner of Wales that will deliver such a powerful symbol of our incredible global relationships and outlook.