President participated in mini Commonwealth Conference

Commonwealth conference which brought together 12 heads of state in London to discuss the reform of International Institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund ended on 10 June. H.E. The president Mahinda Rajapaksa participated in the conference along with President Bharrat Jagdeo (Guyana), President Maumoon Gayoom (Maldives), Prime Minister Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam (Mauritius), President Jakaya Kikwete (United Republic of Tanzania), Prime Minister Dr Feleti Sevele (Tonga), Prime Minister Patrick Manning (Trinidad and Tobago), President Yoweri Museveni (Uganda) and Prime Minister Gordon Brown (United Kingdom), Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak (Malaysia) and Vice-President Alhaji Aliu Mahama (Ghana). They issued a 15 point statement outlining the essence of their deliberations and positions taken thereafter.

Heads of Government conveyed their intention to redefine the purposes and governance of Breton woods institutions. They pledged to work towards a Commonwealth consensus and wider international support for an international conference to achieve these goals.

This conference was the first step in implementing the decision of the November 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, at which leaders decided to establish a small representative group from their 53-member association, to undertake lobbying and advocacy for the reform of international institutions.

The statement made by commonwealth leaders is at the following link:
http://www.thecommonwealth.org/files/180214/filename/hgm-rii_08_-