Why in news?
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) was held recently in London.
What is the Commonwealth grouping?
- It is a group of nations of mostly former British colonies.
- It is now a 53-nation grouping.
- The present Queen Elizabeth II is the head of CHOGM.
How was the latest summit perceived?
- The meeting came with hopes of a “re-energised Commonwealth”.
- The summit was held in the U.K., the founder State, after 32 years.
- Besides, Queen Elizabeth II attended the summit.
- She has skipped the meeting often in the last few years owing to her health.
- Also, the present meet took place amidst Britain’s exit from the EU.
- All these led to hopes of reviving the grouping as Commonwealth 2.0.
- India - Mr. Modi was the first Indian PM to attend CHOGM in a decade.
- Some of the earlier summits were skipped over bilateral differences.
- It was widely expected that India would step up to play a leadership role.
- It was seen to be helping chart a future course for the Commonwealth.
- Prince Charles’s visit to Delhi to invite Indian PM bolstered that belief.
Were the expectations met?
- The outcome of the meet was largely against the expectations.
- CHOGM again failed to make a case for its relevance in the 21st century.
- Head - It was announced that Prince Charles would ‘succeed’ his mother as the head of the Commonwealth.
- This has ignored calls by members for the position to be more democratically shared or rotated.
- China - There were statements on the Blue Charter on Ocean Governance and on the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda for Trade and Investment.
- This could together counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
- But there was little by way of a road map to achieve the goals.
- Immigration - Britain PM Theresa May apologised for her Home Office’s threat to deport thousands of immigrants.
- They were brought as manual labour in the 1940s on the ship Empire Windrush from the Caribbean.
- But she failed to convince most members of the Commonwealth that Britain would reverse its present policies on immigration.
- Trade - The U.K.’s hard line on Indian “illegals” prevented the signing of a bilateral agreement on immigrant “returns” with India.
- This was in regard to return of illegal Indian migrants within a month of their being detected by authorities.
- This indicates that post-Brexit London is likely to welcome trade in goods from the Commonwealth, but not services.
What is the way forward?
- The Commonwealth remains a great platform for development aid, democratic values and educational opportunities.
- But its relevance is put to test with increasing call for democracy within the grouping.
- It needs to adopt a more egalitarian and inclusive attitude to its next generation of Commonwealth citizens.
- Only this can ensure the sustainability and credibility of this grouping.
Source: The Hindu
