Commonwealth summit ends, Sri Lanka hosts the 2013 CHOGM

The 22nd Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Perth ended today with leaders of 54 nations reaffirming their commitment to the values and principles of the Commonwealth and agreeing to a series of actions to ensure the Commonwealth's effectiveness in responding to contemporary global challenges and to build resilient societies and economies.

The summit held from October 28-30 under the theme 'Building National Resilience, Building Global Resilience' ended Sunday afternoon with the closing remarks from the Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, with the heads reaffirming their decision to meet next in Sri Lanka in 2013.


The leaders of the voluntary association recommended reforms considering 104 recommendations by the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) in the group's report 'A Commonwealth of the People: Time for Urgent Reform'.
Reform actions considered include proposals on food security, renewable energy, support for small and vulnerable states, and reform of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG).
Addressing the conclusion ceremony, President Rajapaksa invited the Commonwealth heads of States to come to Sri Lanka for the 2013 CHOGM briefing the meeting on the social, cultural historical and political background in Sri Lanka and thanked the Australian Prime minister for organizing a grand commonwealth meeting.
A documentary on Sri Lanka's natural beauty was also shown at the closing ceremony to enlighten the Commonwealth representatives.
Despite the pressure brought on the group of leaders by certain nations sympathetic to the Tamil separatism in Sri Lanka citing the allegations of human right abuses, the Commonwealth reaffirmed their decision to hold the CHOGM 2013 in Sri Lanka giving the country the impetus to continue its reconciliation process and development programs.
The Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, backed by the large number of pro-separatist Tamil diaspora in his country, launched a failed attempt to spark debate on Sri Lanka's human right record, and to convince leaders to boycott the summit if held in Sri Lanka in 2013 unless Sri Lanka addresses the concerns properly.
The pro-LTTE Tamil community in Australia staged protests during the summit demanding the arrest of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on charges of war crimes.
Earlier in the week the Australian government crushed a war crime case filed by a Sri Lankan-born Tamil in an Australian court against President Rajapaksa alleging war crimes.
Sri Lanka has apprised the leaders of the commonwealth of the measures the country has taken to address the allegations and to improve its human rights record.