The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 1999 was the sixteenth Meeting of the Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Nations. It was held in Durban, South Africa, between 12 November and 14 November 1999, and hosted by President Thabo Mbeki.
Durban was the largest and best-attended CHOGM ever held. All fifty-two eligible countries sent delegations (Pakistan, which was suspended, and Tuvalu, a special member, were not invited), forty-seven of whom sent their head of state or head of government (Malaysia, the Maldives, New Zealand, Saint Lucia, and Sri Lanka being the ones represented by lesser government ministers). Despite the size of the CHOGM, it was the shortest held, due to the diffusion of powers to other organs that met separately, and had a markedly lower profile than other CHOGMs.
The role of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) was questioned, in the light of the previous month's military coup in Pakistan, which necessitated Pakistan's suspension from the Commonwealth (hence its non-attendance). However, the competences of CMAG were unchanged by the CHOGM, and its remit was renewed for another two years. Pakistan itself was also not subject to any head of government ministerial action, and decision was postponed until a later date, once the fall-out from the coup could finally be assessed.
Read more about Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting 1999: Secretary-General
Famous quotes containing the words commonwealth, heads, government and/or meeting:
“The commonwealth of Athens is become a forest of beasts.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“See how the giddy multitude do point
And nod their heads and throw their eyes on thee!”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“But the wise know that foolish legislation is a rope of sand, which perishes in the twisting; that the State must follow, and not lead the character and progress of the citizen; the strongest usurper is quickly got rid of; and they only who build on Ideas, build for eternity; and that the form of government which prevails, is the expression of what cultivation exists in the population which permits it.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Love’s the only thing I’ve thought of or read about since I was knee-high. That’s what I always dreamed of, of meeting somebody and falling in love. And when that remarkable thing happened, I was going to recite poetry to her for hours about how her heart’s an angel’s wing and her hair the strings of a heavenly harp. Instead I got drunk and hollered at her and called her a harpy.”
—Ben Hecht (1893–1964)