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STATEMENT ON THE COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT SUMMIT
The South African Government will host the biennial Summit of the 54 members of the Heads of State and Government of the Commonwealth, from 12 to 15 November 1999, at the International Conference Centre in Durban.
1999 also marks the 50th year of the modern Commonwealth. It was in 1949 that Commonwealth Prime Ministers adopted what has come to be known as the London Declaration, which reconciled republicanism with continued membership of the Commonwealth and which, in effect, transformed it into a group of sovereign, independent countries.
The Commonwealth played an important role in the establishment of democracy in South Africa in the run-up to and during the 1994 elections. It is appropriate, therefore, that the 1999 CHOGM, which coincides with the second democratic elections, should take place in South Africa.
Issued by Department of Foreign Affairs, Pretoria, 12 March 1999
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