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Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting




In the past, CHOGMs have attempted to orchestrate common policies on certain contentious issues and current events, with a special focus on issues affecting member nations. In the past, CHOGMs have discussed the continuation of Apartheid rule in South Africa and how to stop it, military Coup s in Pakistan and Fiji , and allegations of electoral fraud in Zimbabwe . Sometimes the member states agree on a common idea or solution, and release a joint statement declaring their opinion.

As the cultural and economic links between the Commonwealth countries continue to decline, the meeting's agenda has become more and more relaxed and its relevance questioned. The Commonwealth has grown increasingly large in recent years (it now has over 50 members) and as a result is becoming an increasingly difficult forum to establish any sort of political consensus in. Fears have also been raised that the Commonwealth's agenda is unfairly monopolized by Africa n issues. This is unpopular with non-African member states, who resent the exclusion of the affairs of their regions, but also with the African states themselves. Many of them view the Commonwealth as a neo-colonial organization dominated by a "White Commonwealth", that is to say those " Anglosphere " countries who are also members of the Commonwealth . The future of the Commonwealth thus remains in doubt. Some have proposed the organization be split in half, with one half for African affairs, and one for the affairs of all other member states.


HISTORY OF CHOGM MEETINGS



INCIDENTS AND ACTIONS


  • 1978 A bomb went off outside the venue of the 1978 CHOGM in Sydney, known as the Hilton Bombing .


  • 2001 CHOGM 2001, slated to be held in Brisbane on October 6-9, was cancelled for security reasons in the aftermath of the 9/11 Attacks . The Meeting was adjourned to March 2002, and held in the seaside resort of Coolum, Queensland .




IN POPULAR CULTURE

CHOGM has been humourously Backronymed to Chappies Holidaying On Government Money.


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