Timeline of the Commonwealth of Nations

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This is a timeline of the Commonwealth of Nations from the Balfour Declaration of 1926. Some regard the Balfour Declaration as the foundation of the modern Commonwealth.

Contents

1920s1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s

1920s (from 1926)

YearDateEvent
192625 OctoberThe Balfour Declaration of 1926 establishes the principle of the separate and equal status of the dominions within the British Empire, "freely associated as members of the British Commonwealth". [1]
192712 AprilThe Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act 1927 changes the title of the British monarch, to reflect the secession of most of historic Ireland from the United Kingdom

1930s

YearDateEvent
193016 AugustThe first British Empire Games, the forerunners of the Commonwealth Games, open in Hamilton, Canada.
1 October seventh Imperial Conference convenes in London. Meeting drafts what becomes the Statute of Westminster.
193111 DecemberThe Statute of Westminster 1931 is enacted, formalises the Balfour Declaration 1926, with the Parliament of the United Kingdom renouncing legislative power over the dominions. It is adopted by Canada, the Irish Free State, Newfoundland, and the Union of South Africa. Australia and New Zealand decline to adopt it. [1]
193221 JulyThe British Empire Economic Conference is convened. Policy of Imperial preference adopted.
193416 FebruaryThe self-government of the Dominion of Newfoundland is suspended, replaced by the Commission of Government. Newfoundland ceases to be in the Commonwealth.
4 AugustThe second British Empire Games open in London, the United Kingdom.
193620 January King George V dies, being succeeded by Edward VIII.
10 December King Edward VIII signs the instruments of abdication, effective the next day.
11 DecemberThe United Kingdom passes His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act 1936 (which, at the request of those countries' Parliaments, equally applies to Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa), effecting Edward VIII's abdication and succession by George VI. Canada passes the Succession to the Throne Act to the same effect.
The Constitution (Amendment No. 27) Act 1936 of the Irish Free State comes into effect, removing reference to the King in the Constitution.
12 DecemberThe Irish Free State passes the Executive Authority (External Relations) Act 1936, conferring statutory functions on the British monarch and recognising George VI as Edward VIII's successor, one day after the rest of the Commonwealth.
193714 May to 24 June eighth and final Imperial Conference held in London following the coronation of King George VI; rejects concept of Imperial Federation.
29 DecemberA new Irish constitution is promulgated establishing the state under the name 'Ireland', creating the position of President, and calling into question whether Ireland still formed part of His Majesty's dominions.
19385 FebruaryThe third British Empire Games open in Sydney, Australia.
19391 September Nazi Germany invades Poland, precipitating an ultimatum from the United Kingdom, which was ignored by Germany, leading inexorably to the Second World War.
2 SeptemberIrish Taoiseach Éamon de Valera announces his intention to remain neutral in the impending war, regardless of British policy. The government declares the Emergency.
3 SeptemberThe United Kingdom declares war upon Nazi Germany, beginning the British Empire and Commonwealth's involvement in the six-year conflict.
The Australian Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1942 (see below) was backdated to this date.
4 September South Africa's United Party refuses to accept Prime Minister Barry Hertzog's declaration of neutrality in the war, and vote to replace him as party leader with Jan Smuts.
6 September South Africa declares war upon Nazi Germany, becoming the first dominion to do so independently of the United Kingdom.
9 SeptemberCanada declares war upon Nazi Germany.

1940s

YearDateEvent
19429 OctoberAustralia passes the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1942, adopting the Statute of Westminster 1931, but back-dating it to 3 September 1939, when the United Kingdom (and therefore Australia) declared war upon Nazi Germany.
19441 MayThe first Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference convenes in London. [2]
19454 AprilA Commonwealth Statesmen's Meeting convenes in London to co-ordinate members' demands and expectations of the impending end of the war.
8 May Nazi Germany surrenders to the Allied Powers, ending the Second World War in Europe.
15 AugustThe Empire of Japan surrenders to the Allied Powers, ending the Second World War.
194621 FebruaryThe British Commonwealth Occupation Force is formed from Australian, British, Indian, and New Zealand occupation forces in Japan.
23 AprilThe second Commonwealth Prime Ministers Conference convenes in London. [2]
19473 FebruaryIn response to Canada's passage the previous year of the Canadian Citizenship Act the previous year, a Commonwealth conference on nationality and citizenship is convened. It is agreed to redefine the concept of citizenship in the Commonwealth so that, rather than all those in the British Empire and Commonwealth being British subjects, each Commonwealth state is free to also define its own separate citizenship. As a result, the British Nationality Act 1948 is passed the next year by the British parliament which creates a distinction in that country between British citizens and British subjects; Australia and New Zealand also pass their own citizenship acts. Eventually, the category of British subject develops into that of a Commonwealth citizen whose rights are greater than those of a foreign national but often less than one of a full citizen of the country in question. Ireland had already passed citizenship legislation in 1935 defining its own citizenship laws.
15 August India joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom. Pakistan (including modern Bangladesh) joins the Commonwealth following the Partition of India.
21 OctoberIndia and Pakistan begin the first Indo-Pakistani War, over the princely state of Kashmir and Jammu. It is the first armed conflict between two members of the Commonwealth.
25 NovemberNew Zealand passes the Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1947.
19484 February Ceylon (modern-day Sri Lanka) joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
16 JuneThree European plantation managers are killed in Perak, sparking the Malayan Emergency, leading to deployment of Commonwealth soldiers to Malaya.
11 OctoberThe third Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference convenes in London. [2]
31 DecemberIndia and Pakistan sign a cease-fire, ending the first Indo-Pakistani War.
194931 March Newfoundland, a Dominion until 1934, joins Canada as a province.
18 April Ireland ceases to be regarded as a member of the Commonwealth by the Commonwealth countries. They took this view on the basis that the Republic of Ireland Act 1948 had come into effect. The legislation ended the statutory role of the British monarchy in Ireland. In contrast, Irish leaders had long regarded Ireland as a republic outside the Commonwealth but associated with it.
22 AprilThe fourth Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference convenes in London. [2] The agenda is dominated by the imminence of India becoming a republic and its future within the Commonwealth.
28 AprilThe Commonwealth Heads of Government issue the London Declaration. It allows India (and, thenceafter, all other members) to remain in the Commonwealth as a republic, creates the position of Head of the Commonwealth, and changes the name of the organisation to the Commonwealth of Nations. The decisions of the 1947 Commonwealth ministerial conference on nationality and citizenship are affirmed which allow states to create their own citizenship rules. Indians are agreed to be recognised as Commonwealth citizens, rather than British subjects, once India becomes a republic.

1950s

YearDateEvent
195026 JanuaryIndia becomes a republic, being the first republic in the Commonwealth of Nations.
4 FebruaryThe fourth British Empire Games open in Auckland, New Zealand. These would be the last under that name.
19514 JanuaryThe fifth Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference convenes in London. [2]
28 JulyThe 1st Commonwealth Division is created to amalgamate Australian, British, Canadian, Indian, and New Zealand forces engaged in the Korean War.
19526 February George VI dies, being succeeded as monarch of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ceylon, Pakistan and South Africa by Elizabeth II, as well as Head of the Commonwealth.
28 AprilThe British Commonwealth Occupation Force is officially disbanded, having transferred control of Far Eastern forces to British Commonwealth Forces Korea.
20 October Sir Evelyn Baring, Governor of Kenya, declares a state of emergency, recognising the severity of the Mau Mau Uprising.
28 November Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Economic Conference convenes in London to discuss proposals to expand trade within the Commonwealth.
19533 JuneThe sixth Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference convenes in London. [2]
195430 JulyThe British Empire Games are renamed the 'British Empire and Commonwealth Games', with the opening of the 1954 Games in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
195526 JanuaryThe seventh Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference convenes in London. [2]
195627 JuneThe eighth Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference convenes in London. [2]
19576 MarchGhana, previously the Gold Coast, joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom, becoming the first majority-ruled African member.
26 JuneThe ninth Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference convenes in London. The new Canadian prime minister, John Diefenbaker, proposes the intensification of trade relations within the Commonwealth. His call for an Empire Trade Conference are resisted by the British government which has an eye towards the UK developing stronger trade relations with Europe and the newly formed European Economic Community. However, a Commonwealth Trade and Economic Conference is called for the next year. [2]
31 AugustThe Federation of Malaya joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom. It is the first monarchy in the Commonwealth except for the Commonwealth realms. [3]
19583 JanuaryThe Federation of the West Indies is formed from the British West Indies as a self-governing colony.
30 JulyThe 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games open in Cardiff, the United Kingdom.
28 SeptemberThe Commonwealth Trade and Economic Conference concludes with a communique agreeing that the pound sterling should be made fully convertible and that trade barriers within the Commonwealth should be progressively removed

1960s

YearDateEvent
19603 FebruaryBritish Prime Minister Harold Macmillan issues his 'Wind of Change' speech to the Parliament of South Africa.
3 MayThe tenth Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference convenes in London; Malaya demands South Africa's expulsion from the Commonwealth due to its racial policies. [2]
1 OctoberNigeria joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
19618 MarchThe 11th Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference convenes in London. [2] South Africa's application to request to remain in the Commonwealth upon becoming a republic is rejected due to the country's policy of apartheid.
13 MarchCyprus joins the Commonwealth, [4] having gained independence from the United Kingdom the previous year. Heavily opposed by the United Kingdom, it is the first small country to join. [3]
27 AprilSierra Leone joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
31 MaySouth Africa becomes a republic, temporarily withdrawing from the Commonwealth.
9 December Tanganyika, now part of Tanzania, joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
196231 MayThe Federation of the West Indies collapses. Its constituent states revert to being colonies of the United Kingdom, and preparations begin to grant them separate independence within the Commonwealth.
6 AugustJamaica joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
31 AugustTrinidad and Tobago joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
10 SeptemberThe 12th Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference convenes in London. Concerns of Commonwealth countries about the implications for trade and economic relations in regards to Britain's possible entry into the European Common Market is the main topic of discussion. [2]
9 OctoberUganda joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
22 NovemberThe 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games open in Perth, Australia.
196310 December Zanzibar, now part of Tanzania, joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom. It is, albeit briefly, the first hereditary monarchy in the Commonwealth except for the Commonwealth realms.
12 DecemberKenya joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
196426 AprilTwo Commonwealth members, Tanganyika and Zanzibar, merge to form the United Republic of Tanzania, which joins the Commonwealth.
6 JulyMalawi, previously Nyasaland, joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
8 JulyThe 13th Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference convenes in London. The leaders agree to a communique declaring the Commonwealth's commitment to racial equality and an end to discrimination. The idea of a Commonwealth Secretariat is proposed. The government of the colony of Southern Rhodesia, whose prime ministers had frequently attended Imperial and Commonwealth conferences since 1930, is excluded due to a decision to confine attendance at meetings to leaders of independent states. [2]
21 SeptemberMalta joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
24 OctoberZambia, previously Northern Rhodesia, joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
196518 FebruaryThe Gambia joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
17 JuneThe 14th Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference convenes in London. [2] The Conference approves the creation of the Commonwealth Secretariat. The meeting also discusses the crisis in Rhodesia, relations with South Africa and Portuguese colonies in Africa, and opposition by Asian and African Commonwealth countries to British, Australian and New Zealand's support for American intervention in the Vietnam War. The Commonwealth reaffirms its declaration that all Commonwealth states should work for societies based on racial equality.
1 JulyThe Commonwealth Secretariat is founded. The first Secretary-General is Canada's Arnold Smith.
9 AugustSingapore joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by Malaysia.
15 AugustIndia and Pakistan begin the second Indo-Pakistani War, over the princely state of Kashmir and Jammu.
23 SeptemberIndia and Pakistan sign a cease-fire, ending the second Indo-Pakistani War.
11 November Rhodesia issues a Unilateral Declaration of Independence, which is rejected by the United Kingdom, sparking a 15-year crisis in the Commonwealth. [5]
12 DecemberThe United Kingdom imposes full economic sanctions on Rhodesia. [5]
196610 JanuaryThe 15th Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference convenes in Lagos, Nigeria to discuss the Rhodesian crisis. It was the first Conference held outside London. [2]
10 MarchThe Commonwealth Secretariat Act 1966 is passed, coming into effect retroactively on 1 July 1965, the date of the Secretariat's foundation, granting the Secretariat legal immunity in the United Kingdom.
26 MayGuyana, previously British Guiana, joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
4 AugustThe 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games open in Kingston, Jamaica. It was the first time the Games were held outside the so-called 'White Commonwealth', and the last time the Games included the British Empire in their name.
6 SeptemberThe 16th Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference convenes in London. [2] Discussion is again dominated by Rhodesia with the United Kingdom announcing NIBMAR policy towards the rogue colony: refusing independence until the Black majority is given the vote.
30 SeptemberBotswana,formerly Bechuanaland Protectorate, joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
4 OctoberLesotho, formerly Basutoland, joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
30 NovemberBarbados joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
196831 JanuaryNauru joins the Commonwealth as a 'Special Member' upon being granted independence from a joint Australia-New Zealand-United Kingdom trusteeship. It is the first microstate to join. [3]
12 MarchMauritius joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
6 SeptemberSwaziland joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
19697 JanuaryThe 17th and last Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference convenes in London and is again dominated by discussion of how to bring white minority rule in Rhodesia to an end. Also discussed is the Biafra crisis in Nigeria and discrimination against South Asian communities living in Africa and Black and Asian immigrants living in the UK. [2]

1970s

YearDateEvent
19702 March Rhodesia declares itself a republic and a new constitution takes effect. [5]
4 JuneTonga joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
1 July Arnold Smith begins his second term as Commonwealth Secretary-General.
16 JulyThe 1970 British Commonwealth Games open in Edinburgh, the United Kingdom. It was the first time the Games use the metric system.
28 AugustWestern Samoa joins the Commonwealth, having gained independence from New Zealand in 1962.
10 October Dominion of Fiji joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
197114 JanuaryThe first Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in Singapore. [2]
22 JanuaryAt the conclusion of the first CHOGM, the assembled Commonwealth Heads of Government issue the Singapore Declaration, setting out the core political values of the Commonwealth. It is considered, along with the 1991 Harare Declaration, one of the two most important documents of the Commonwealth's constitution.
26 March East Pakistan declares its independence as Bangladesh.
3 DecemberIndia intervenes in Bangladesh, sparking the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971.
16 DecemberPakistan surrenders to India, ending the war.
197218 AprilBangladesh joins the Commonwealth, having gained independence from Pakistan the previous year. [6] Pakistan temporarily withdraws from the Commonwealth in protest at the Commonwealth's recognition of Bangladesh's independence.
197310 JulyThe Bahamas joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
2 AugustThe second Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. [2]
197424 JanuaryThe 1974 British Commonwealth Games open in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is the last time that the Games' name includes reference to "British".
7 FebruaryGrenada joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
197529 AprilThe third Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in Kingston, Jamaica. [2]
1 JulyGuyana's Shridath Ramphal succeeds Arnold Smith as Commonwealth Secretary-General.
16 SeptemberPapua New Guinea joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by Australia.
197629 JuneSeychelles joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
19778 JuneThe fourth Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in London, the United Kingdom. [2]
19787 JulyThe Solomon Islands joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
3 AugustThe 1978 Commonwealth Games open in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is the first time that the Games are held under the current name.
1 OctoberTuvalu joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
3 NovemberDominica joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
197912 JulyKiribati joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
1 AugustThe fifth Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in Lusaka, Zambia. [2]
7 AugustAt the conclusion of the fifth CHOGM, the assembled Commonwealth Heads of Government issue the Lusaka Declaration, reaffirming the Commonwealth's opposition to racism and demanding legal equality for all people of the Commonwealth.
27 OctoberSaint Vincent and the Grenadines joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
12 December Zimbabwe Rhodesia dissolves itself, returning power to the United Kingdom (formally as Southern Rhodesia) in preparation for recognised independence. [5]
21 DecemberThe Lancaster House Agreement is reached, setting the terms of independence for Southern Rhodesia. [5]

1980s

YearDateEvent
19801 July Shridath Ramphal begins his second term as Commonwealth Secretary-General.
1 OctoberZimbabwe, formerly Southern Rhodesia and Rhodesia, joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
30 JulyVanuatu, formerly the New Hebrides, joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence from a joint France-United Kingdom condominium.
198121 SeptemberBelize joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
30 SeptemberThe sixth Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in Melbourne, Australia. [2]
1 NovemberAntigua and Barbuda joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
198230 SeptemberThe 1982 Commonwealth Games open in Brisbane, Australia.
9 JulyMaldives joins the Commonwealth as a 'Special Member', having been granted independence by the United Kingdom in 1965. [7]
198319 SeptemberSaint Kitts and Nevis joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
23 NovemberThe seventh Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in New Delhi, India. [2]
19841 JanuaryBrunei joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by the United Kingdom.
19851 July Shridath Ramphal begins his third term as Commonwealth Secretary-General. He becomes the first, and (so far) only, Secretary-General to serve three terms.
20 JulyMaldives becomes a full member of the Commonwealth, having joined as a 'Special Member' in 1982. [7]
16 OctoberThe eighth Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in Nassau, The Bahamas. [2]
198624 JulyThe 1986 Commonwealth Games open in Edinburgh, the United Kingdom. The Games are boycotted by 32 countries, including almost all African, Caribbean, and Asian nations, to protest against the British government's attitude to sport in apartheid-era South Africa.
3 AugustThe ninth Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in London, the United Kingdom.
198713 OctoberThe tenth Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is the first meeting held outside the host country's capital city. [2]
15 OctoberFiji is deemed to have left the Commonwealth of Nations by decision of the assembled Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, after two coups d'état, and Sitiveni Rabuka's declaration of a republic in Fiji.
198929 SeptemberCameroon applies for observer status in the Commonwealth, paving the way for its membership six years later. [8]
1 OctoberPakistan returns to the Commonwealth.
18 OctoberThe 11th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. [2]
21 OctoberAt the conclusion of the eleventh CHOGM, the assembled Commonwealth Heads of Government issue the Langkawi Declaration, committing Commonwealth members to environmental sustainability.

1990s

YearDateEvent
199024 JanuaryThe 1990 Commonwealth Games open in Auckland, New Zealand.
21 MarchNamibia joins the Commonwealth upon being granted independence by South Africa.
1 JulyNigeria's Chief Emeka Anyaoku succeeds Shridath Ramphal as Commonwealth Secretary-General.
199116 OctoberThe 12th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in Harare, Zimbabwe. [2]
20 OctoberAt the conclusion of the twelfth CHOGM, the assembled Commonwealth Heads of Government issue the Harare Declaration, establishing the core principles and values of the Commonwealth, detailing membership criteria, and redefining and reinforcing its purpose. It is considered, along with the 1971 Singapore Declaration, one of the two most important documents of the Commonwealth's constitution.
199321 OctoberThe 13th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in Limassol, Cyprus. [2]
19941 JuneSouth Africa returns to the Commonwealth, albeit, as a republic in the Commonwealth of Nations.
18 AugustThe 1994 Commonwealth Games open in Victoria, Canada. The event marked South Africa's return to the Games after a 36 years absence.
19951 July Chief Emeka Anyaoku begins his second term as Commonwealth Secretary-General.
10 NovemberThe 14th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in Auckland, New Zealand. [2]
12 NovemberThe assembled Commonwealth Heads of Government agree to the Millbrook Commonwealth Action Programme on the Harare Declaration, designed to implement the Harare Declaration's affirmation of the Commonwealth's principles and membership criteria.
13 NovemberCameroon joins the Commonwealth, having been granted independence by France in 1960, and joined by the former British colony of Southern Cameroons in 1961. [8]
Mozambique joins the Commonwealth. It is the first country to join the Commonwealth without having had constitutional ties to an existing member. [9]
19971 OctoberFiji returns to the Commonwealth, having adopted a new constitution that complies with Commonwealth standards.
24 OctoberThe 15th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in Edinburgh, the United Kingdom. [2]
27 OctoberAt the conclusion of the 15th CHOGM, the assembled Commonwealth Heads of Government issue the Edinburgh Declaration, codifying the Commonwealth's membership criteria.
199811 SeptemberThe 1998 Commonwealth Games open in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is the first Games to be held in Asia, and the first to be held outside the so-called 'White Commonwealth' since 1966.
199929 MayThe Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group lifts Nigeria's suspension from the Commonwealth. [10]
18 OctoberThe Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group suspends Pakistan from the Commonwealth with immediate effect. [11]
12 NovemberThe 16th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in Durban, South Africa. [2] Thabo Mbeki becomes the first Commonwealth Chairperson-in-Office.

2000s

YearDateEvent
20001 AprilNew Zealand's Don McKinnon succeeds Chief Emeka Anyaoku as Commonwealth Secretary-General. [12]
6 JuneThe Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group partially suspends Fiji from the Commonwealth with immediate effect. [12]
200128 SeptemberThe Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting that was due to convene on 6 October is cancelled in the aftermath of the 11 September terrorist attacks on the United States. [13]
6 OctoberThe 17th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting was due to convene in Brisbane, Australia. [13]
20 DecemberThe Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group lifts Fiji's suspension from the Commonwealth, but keeps it on the agenda until the Supreme Court rules on the government's constitutionality. [14]
200230 JanuaryThe Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group approves Pervez Musharraf's roadmap for the October general election. [14]
2 MarchThe 17th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in Coolum, Australia. [2] John Howard becomes Commonwealth Chairperson-in-Office.
19 MarchAfter Commonwealth election observers report that Zimbabwe's presidential election was rife with fraud and intimidation, the troika, led by John Howard, announces Zimbabwe's immediate suspension from the Commonwealth. [14]
25 JulyThe 2002 Commonwealth Games open in Manchester, the United Kingdom.
20035 DecemberThe 18th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in Abuja, Nigeria. [2] Olusegun Obasanjo becomes Commonwealth Chairperson-in-Office.
New Zealand's Don McKinnon is re-elected as Commonwealth Secretary-General in a surprise competitive election by forty votes to eleven against Sri Lanka's Lakshman Kadirgamar. [15]
7 December Robert Mugabe personally announces Zimbabwe's immediate withdrawal from the Commonwealth, in wake of his failure to have his country's suspension lifted. [15]
8 DecemberAt the conclusion of the 18th CHOGM, the assembled Commonwealth Heads of Government issue the Aso Rock Declaration, reaffirming the Commonwealth's commitment to the Harare Declaration. [16]
20041 April Don McKinnon begins his second term as Commonwealth Secretary-General.
22 MayThe Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group lifts Pakistan's suspension from the Commonwealth with immediate effect. [17]
20057 AprilThe International Organisations Act 2005 is passed in the United Kingdom, amending the Commonwealth Secretariat Act 1966. [18]
25 NovemberThe 19th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in Valletta, Malta. [2] Lawrence Gonzi becomes Commonwealth Chairperson-in-Office.
200615 MarchThe 2006 Commonwealth Games open in Melbourne, Australia.
8 DecemberThe Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group suspends Fiji from the Commonwealth with immediate effect. [19]
200724 OctoberThe Committee on Commonwealth Membership makes recommendations on changes to the membership criteria of the Commonwealth.
22 NovemberThe Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group suspends Pakistan from the Commonwealth with immediate effect. [20]
23 NovemberThe 20th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in Kampala, Uganda. [2] Yoweri Museveni becomes Commonwealth Chairperson-in-Office.
20081 AprilIndia's Kamalesh Sharma succeeds Don McKinnon as Commonwealth Secretary-General. [21]
22 MayThe Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group lifts Pakistan's suspension from the Commonwealth with immediate effect. [21]
20091 SeptemberFiji's suspension is increased to a full suspension, following a failure to commit to the restoration of electoral government by 2010.
27 NovemberThe 21st Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. [2] Patrick Manning becomes Commonwealth Chairperson-in-Office. Rwanda is admitted to the Commonwealth.

2010s

YearDateEvent
201026 May Kamla Persad-Bissessar becomes Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, and thus succeeds Patrick Manning as Commonwealth Chairperson-in-Office. [22]
OctoberThe 2010 Commonwealth Games are held in Delhi, India.
201128 OctoberThe 22nd Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in Perth, Australia.

Julia Gillard becomes Commonwealth Chairperson-in-Office.

Meeting leads to Perth Agreement in which amendmented the rules to the royal succession laws, namely, replacing male-preference primogeniture with absolute primogeniture and ending the disqualification of those married to Roman Catholics.

2013October The Gambia withdrew from the Commonwealth by decree of Yahya Jammeh.
NovemberThe 23rd Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Mahinda Rajapaksa becomes Commonwealth Chairperson-in-Office.
2014July–AugustThe 2014 Commonwealth Games are held in Glasgow, Scotland
2015January Maithripala Sirisena becomes President of Sri Lanka, after the 2 year early 2015 Sri Lankan Presidential Election and thus succeeds Mahinda Rajapaksa as Commonwealth Chairperson-in-Office.
NovemberThe 24th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in Malta. Joseph Muscat becomes Commonwealth Chairperson-in-Office.
2016OctoberThe Maldives withdrew from the Commonwealth.
2017 The Gambia begins the process of returning to the Commonwealth under the new Gambian Government of President Adama Barrow.
The offer to host the 25th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, originally scheduled to be held in Vanuatu is rescinded, after Cyclone Pam devastated the country's infrastructure in March 2015. 2019 Meeting to be hosted in Malaysia is moved to 2020.
2018FebruaryThe Gambia was readmitted to the Commonwealth.
AprilThe rescheduled 25th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting convenes in London, United Kingdom, after Vanuatu's offer to host in 2018 is rescinded due to Cyclone Pam devastated the country's infrastructure in March 2015. Charles, Prince of Wales, is selected as the third Head of the Commonwealth, to take office sometime in the future.
The 2018 Commonwealth Games were held in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.
May Zimbabwe applied to rejoin the Commonwealth.

2020s

YearDateEvent
20201 FebruaryThe Maldives returns to the Commonwealth.
202130 November Barbados becomes a republic but remains in the Commonwealth.
202224–25 JuneThe rescheduled 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting was held in Kigali.
25 June Togo and Gabon join the Commonwealth.
July–AugustThe 2022 Commonwealth Games take place in Birmingham, England, United Kingdom, after the games were stripped from Durban, South Africa.
8 SeptemberQueen Elizabeth II dies, being succeeded by King Charles III.

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 Marshall, Sir Peter (September 2001). "The Balfour Formula and the Evolution of the Commonwealth". The Round Table . 90 (361): 541–53. doi:10.1080/00358530120082823. S2CID   143421201.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 "List of Meetings". Commonwealth Secretariat. Archived from the original on 19 October 2008. Retrieved 22 December 2008.
  3. 1 2 3 McIntyre, W. David (April 2008). "The Expansion of the Commonwealth and the Criteria for Membership". Round Table . 97 (395): 273–85. doi:10.1080/00358530801962089. S2CID   219623317. Malaya's joining as an indigenous monarchy in 1957
  4. McIntyre, W. David (January 2000). "Britain and the creation of the Commonwealth Secretariat". Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History. 28 (1): 135–158. doi:10.1080/03086530008583082. S2CID   159673400.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Chronology: Rhodesia UDI: Road to Settlement". London School of Economics . Retrieved 23 December 2008.
  6. Kohen, Marcelo G. (2006). Secession. London: Cambridge University Press. p. 122. ISBN   978-0-521-84928-9.
  7. 1 2 "The Maldives and the Commonwealth". Republic of Maldives. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
  8. 1 2 Pondi, Jean-Emmanuel (October 1997). "Cameroon and the Commonwealth of Nations". The Round Table . 86 (344): 563–70. doi:10.1080/00358539708454389.
  9. Ingram, Derek (April 1996). "Commonwealth Update". The Round Table . 85 (338): 153–165. doi:10.1080/00358539608454302.
  10. Ingram, Derek (October 1999). "Commonwealth Update". The Round Table . 88 (352): 547–567. doi:10.1080/003585399107758.
  11. Ingram, Derek (January 2000). "Commonwealth Update". The Round Table . 89 (353): 45–57. doi:10.1080/750459452. S2CID   219628879.
  12. 1 2 Ingram, Derek (July 2000). "Commonwealth Update". The Round Table . 89 (355): 311–55. doi:10.1080/00358530050083406. S2CID   219626283.
  13. 1 2 Ingram, Derek (January 2002). "Brisbane Notebook". The Round Table . 91 (363): 37–39. doi:10.1080/00358530220118516. S2CID   219629137.
  14. 1 2 3 Ingram, Derek (April 2002). "Commonwealth Update". The Round Table . 91 (364): 131–59. doi:10.1080/00358530220144148. S2CID   219627051.
  15. 1 2 "Editorial: CHOGM 2003, Abuja, Nigeria". The Round Table . 93 (373): 3–6. January 2004. doi:10.1080/0035853042000188139. S2CID   219624427.
  16. "Our Work". Commonwealth Secretariat. Archived from the original on 12 April 2008. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
  17. Ingram, Derek (July 2004). "Commonwealth Update". The Round Table . 93 (375): 311–42. doi:10.1080/0035853042000249933. S2CID   219627311.
  18. "International Organisations Act 2005". Office of Public Sector Information. 7 April 2005. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
  19. Ingram, Derek; Soal, Judith (February 2007). "Commonwealth Update". The Round Table . 96 (388): 2–28. doi:10.1080/00358530701189734. S2CID   219623258.
  20. Gruenbaum, Oren (February 2008). "Commonwealth Update". The Round Table . 97 (394): 3–17. doi:10.1080/00358530701864963. S2CID   219625114.
  21. 1 2 Gruenbaum, Oren (June 2008). "Commonwealth Update". The Round Table . 97 (396): 341–54. doi:10.1080/00358530802159347. S2CID   219625791.
  22. Staff writer (29 May 2010). "Kamla now Commonwealth Chair". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday . Retrieved 29 May 2010. The position she has inherited from former prime minister Bob Manning following the nation's hosting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November, 2009.

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