Ministerial body to be strengthened to enable it deal with serious violations of association values

Commonwealth leaders meeting at their biennial meeting in Trinidad and Tobago have reconstituted membership to the body that monitors the adherence to the association's fundamental political values of democracy, rule of law and human rights.

The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group or CMAG is now comprised of foreign ministers from Australia, Bangladesh, Ghana, Jamaica, Maldives, Namibia, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago and Vanuatu.

In a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting on 29 November 2009, the leaders also agreed to consider strengthening the role of CMAG to enable it to deal with the full range of serious and persistent violations of the association's fundamental values set out in the Trinidad and Tobago Affirmation.

The leaders commended the work of CMAG during the last two years which has contributed significantly to the protection and promotion of the association's political values in member countries. They expressed deep concern at the further deterioration of the situation in Fiji Islands with regard to its adherence to fundamental Commonwealth values.

"Heads fully endorsed CMAG's call for the Interim Government of Fiji to commit itself to a credible, inclusive and time bound political dialogue towards the restoration of constitutional civilian democracy without further delay, and for the protection of fundamental human rights," the communiqué stated in part.

The leaders also affirmed that sporting ties under the Commonwealth name, such as Commonwealth Games, are inseparable from the values of the association, and endorsed the position taken by CMAG that those countries under full suspension from the Commonwealth, such as Fiji, should, inter alia, be ineligible to participate in Commonwealth sporting events.