Guyana to serve on Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group

Guyana was selected to serve on the reconstituted Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG). Minister of Foreign Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, attended the Group’s first meeting held on November 17, 2013 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

At that meeting, the CMAG welcomed the successful conclusion of the presidential election in the Maldives and congratulated the people of the Maldives for showing their firm commitment to democracy and for exercising their franchise in record numbers.

The CMAG agreed that the Maldives would no longer form part of the formal agenda of the Group.

The CMAG was established by Commonwealth Heads of Government in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1995 and deals with serious or persistent violations of the Harare Declaration, which contains Commonwealth's fundamental political values. 

CMAG's task is to assess the nature of infringements and recommend measures for collective Commonwealth action aimed at speedy restoration of democracy and constitutional rule.

Its membership is at the level of Foreign Ministers.

Guyana joins Cyprus, India, New Zealand (Vice Chair), Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Solomon Islands and Tanzania (Chair).  This is the first time that Guyana will serve on this body.

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