Edgar Lungu, President of the Republic of Zambia, looks at the Commonwealth’s past, present and future as a catalyst for creating a fairer future for all of its citizens.
We, as a Commonwealth of Nations, have seen numerous changes throughout the years, as the organisation has continued to evolve at a steady pace since the first Summit, hosted by Singapore in 1971. I recall the 1979 Summit, when Zambia hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Lusaka. It was a truly proud moment given the impressionable youths we were at the time. Many of us are aging now, but we continue to cherish the significance of this organisation.
We have now progressed beyond the main original objective of the organisation, which was the political liberation of African countries: the Lusaka CHOGM was focused on the impending independence of Zimbabwe. Since then, the Commonwealth has registered many successes, but equally, we have together weathered the storm through many difficult challenges…
H.E. Edgar Lungu
President of the Republic of Zambia
