President Museveni is scheduled to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, CHOGM, 2022 in Kigali, Rwanda‘s capital.
It is worth noting that Museveni has not visited Rwanda in almost five years.
Due to the intervention of Uganda’s Land Forces commander, Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda‘s relations with Rwanda have improved in recent months.
Leaders from the Commonwealth will visit Rwanda to reaffirm their shared values and agree on actions and policies to better the lives of its citizens.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as well as Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla of the United Kingdom, are anticipated to attend on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen.
This is the sixth time that an African country has hosted the conference. In 2007, Uganda hosted the CHOGM.
The week-long summit, themed ‘Delivering a Common Future: Connecting, Innovating, Transforming,’ is expected to draw over 5,000 delegates from government, business, and civil society.
The meetings begin on Sunday, June 19 in the Rwandan capital, with four forums covering youth, women, business, and civil society, and conclude on Saturday, June 25 with the official Retreat for leaders at the Intare Conference Arena.
Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, Commonwealth Secretary-General, said that at a time when multilateralism is under serious strain, CHOGM provides a “vital forum to deliver member states’ objectives and an opportunity to draw upon all of the member states’ talents to deliver a smarter, more resilient, prosperous, confident, and sustainable Commonwealth.”
Economic vulnerability, climate action, access to financing, and debt sustainability are set to be top of the agenda at a Ministerial Meeting for the Commonwealth’s 32 Small Island Developing States on Wednesday, June 22.
On the same day, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group will convene to review countries at risk of violating core political values.
On Thursday June 23, Foreign Ministers will convene ahead of the main CHOGM sessions to review the leaders’ agenda and receive outcomes from the four forums for consideration by Heads.
During the CHOGM, several side meetings will be held on issues such as violence against women and girls, climate change, access to justice, and long-term ocean protection and economic growth.
The formal Opening Ceremony will take place at the Kigali Convention Centre on Friday, June 24th, and will be followed by closed-door Executive Sessions during which leaders will discuss a variety of topics including post-COVID-19 economic recovery, debt sustainability, climate change, trade, and food security.
