CHOGM- 2018

Question: Where was the meeting of Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM), 2018 concluded during April 19-20, 2018?
(a) Malta
(b) London
(c) Vanuatu
(d) Rwanda
Answer: (b)
Related Facts:

  • During April 19-20, 2018, the meeting of the 25th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting ‘CHOGM-2018’ concluded in London, (UK).
  • The theme of this conference was ‘Towards a Common Future’.
  • Discussions on topics like global climate change, terrorism and refugee problems were discussed at the summit.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi represented India at this Commonwealth summit.
  • The British Prime Minister Theresa May presided over the conference.
  • It was the first Commonwealth summit after the United Kingdom was separated from the European Union.
  • It is known that the foundation of 53-member Commonwealth was based on the colonial theory.
  • In the 19th century, British colonies were spread over many continents.
  • Since the early 19th century, the demands of Dominion States began to rise in these colonies.
  • Canada (1867), Australia (1901), New Zealand (1907), South Africa (1910) and Ireland (1921) gradually gained Dominion Status status.
  • In 1887 a conference of Prime Ministers of Britain and Dominion States was organized.
  • After this, the Imperial Conference was organized in the year 1926, in which ‘Balfour Report’ was approved.
  • These Dominion States were considered equivalent to Britain.
  • But to respect the British Crown was the mandatory condition of this group.
  • In the 1940s, many nations became independent from British rule, in which India was also one.
  • Though India accepted to be a member of the Commonwealth but did not accept the allegiance of the British Empress.
  • India declared itself a republic and refused to accept the queen as the head of state.
  • In the conference of Prime Ministers of the Commonwealth countries in 1949, it was accepted that India could be a member of the Commonwealth, despite being a republic.
  • The British Empress was now regarded as the symbol of the group of independent nations.
  • With this change many nations became members of the Commonwealth and British Commonwealth became the Commonwealth of Independent Nations.
  • 26th CHOGM is proposed in 2020 at Rwanda.

Reference:
http://thecommonwealth.org/chogm