The former Governor-General of New Zealand, Sir Anand Satyanand, will lead the Commonwealth Observer Group for the national elections taking place in Papua New Guinea in June-July 2017.
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Sir Anand Satyanand leads Commonwealth election observer mission to Papua New Guinea
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The Government of Australia has signed a AU$1.5m funding agreement with the Commonwealth Secretariat for an initiative to strengthen electoral good practices in Commonwealth member countries.
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Australia commits $1.5m to Commonwealth Election Professionals Initiative
The Chair of the Commonwealth Observer Group to the 2017 Bahamas general elections has commended the country for the peaceful manner in which they exercised their right to vote on 3 May in the advanced polls and on the main Election Day of 10 May.
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Commonwealth observers issue Interim Statement on 2017 Bahamas general elections
The Commonwealth Observer Group commends the people of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas for the peaceful manner in which they exercised their right to vote on 3 May in the advanced polls and on the main Election Day of 10 May.
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The Bahamas Election Interim Statement
The Commonwealth, in conjunction with the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and the Commonwealth Magistrates’ and Judges’ Association, will conduct a seminar on judicial independence, ethics, and the protection of human rights.
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Commonwealth to support judicial independence in Bangladesh
A former foreign minister from Ghana, Hanna Tetteh, will lead a team of Commonwealth election observers to The Bahamas for the country’s general election later this month.
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Commonwealth election observers to go to The Bahamas for first time
The president of Malawi, Peter Mutharika, has reaffirmed his commitment to the Commonwealth, pledging to support its initiatives on youth, women’s empowerment, entrepreneurship, child marriage, domestic violence and climate change.
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Malawi president champions Commonwealth programmes
Political parties in Lesotho have agreed to sign a pre-election peace pledge as Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland completes her four-day mission in the country.
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Lesotho politicians commit to pre-election peace pact
The Commonwealth and the United Nations have pledged to continue working with local and regional institutions to support the peacebuilding process and governance reform agenda in Lesotho.
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Secretary-General Scotland calls for collaboration on Lesotho governance reform
Yvonne Apea Mensah, Adviser and Head of Africa at the Commonwealth Secretariat, argues that modern ways of delivering democracy must be based on a solid foundation.
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Blog: What are the modern tools of democracy?
The Commonwealth Observer Group, which monitored the 2016 Ghana general election, has concluded that the process was conducted in a ‘largely peaceful and vibrant manner’.
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Ghana 2016 general election: ‘Credible, transparent and inclusive’ says Thabo Mbeki
The government of Togo is exploring making a formal bid for membership of the Commonwealth, a spokesman for the Commonwealth Secretariat confirmed today.
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Togo exploring application to join the Commonwealth
Foreign ministers on the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) have underlined the Commonwealth’s role in promoting democracy and peace-building, at the group’s fiftieth meeting.
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Ministerial Action Group hails Commonwealth role in peace-building at 50th meeting
At a meeting at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, Chief Ngute told Secretary-General Patricia Scotland that his government fully supported peace building in the Commonwealth.
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Minister updates Secretary-General on situation in the Cameroon
Deputy Secretary-General Ojiambo was received in audience by the Vice-President of Zambia, HE Inonge Wina, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon Dr Patrick Matibini and the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon Vincent Mwale.
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Deputy Secretary-General Dr Josephine Ojiambo visits Zambia
An election taskforce has been set up in the Pacific nation of Nauru to assess reforms put forward by international observers from the Commonwealth and Pacific Islands Forum.
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Nauru election taskforce to assess observer recommendations
The Commonwealth Secretariat has been monitoring developments in Dominica and was saddened by the violence that occurred following a public meeting on 7 February.
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Commonwealth Secretariat encourages peaceful discourse in Dominica
The head of Nauru’s newly established electoral commission has hailed the Commonwealth for strengthening the country’s democracy.
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Nauru elections: Commonwealth brings ‘credibility in strengthening democracy’
The Vanuatu Electoral Office, which has a permanent staff of just seven, is preparing for provincial polls next month.
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'With Commonwealth help we will see Vanuatu’s democracy become stronger'
A Commonwealth Secretariat spokesperson has said the organisation welcomes any effort by the newly elected government of The Gambia to re-apply for membership of the Commonwealth.
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Statement on The Gambia re-joining the Commonwealth
Government ministers and legal advisers from across the Commonwealth are meeting to lay the foundation for a global network of parliamentary champions of human rights.
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Parliamentarians to make commitment on human rights
From the Archive: Commonwealth leaders agreed a programme of economic sanctions against apartheid-era South Africa in 1986.
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From the Archive: Sanctions agreed against apartheid-era South Africa
A group of Cameroonian citizens chanted, sang and carried signs outside the gates of the Commonwealth’s headquarters in London today. They were protesting alleged human rights abuses against the country’s Anglophone community.
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Commonwealth official responds to Cameroonian protesters
A leading member of the Commonwealth Youth Council has become the youngest ever senator in Trinidad and Tobago’s history.
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Youth Council leader becomes youngest Trinidad and Tobago senator
A delegation of more than 30 speakers and parliamentary officials met with Secretary-General Patricia Scotland last week to hear her plans and share advice on how to best work together to achieve equality.
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Human rights high on agenda for speakers of parliament