07 May 2014

Commonwealth secretary general, Mr Kamalesh Sharma says the Commonwealth Charter, adopted in 2012 by heads of government, gives renewed emphasis and clarity to their collective and fundamental purpose of upholding the rule of law and protecting the rights and freedoms of the citizens.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting on May 5, Mr Sharma said the organisation’s two bedrock values were brought together in the theme: Consolidating the Rule of Law and Human Rights in the Commonwealth.

He said member states' duty was to convert the will of their Commonwealth citizens and governments, as expressed in the Charter, into practical and tangible progress. Mr Sharma noted this would give life, substance and relevance to the Charter and the Commonwealth’s work.

He told over 200 participants from 53 Member States that through Commonwealth Legal and Constitutional Affairs Division, the Secretariat was ready to offer any assistance it could, including on judicial education and the independence of the judiciary, access to justice and alternative dispute resolution, reforms to criminal justice systems, international cooperation in criminal matters, legislative support, and law reforms to support sustainable development and economic growth.

Meanwhile Mr Sharma said constructive exchange of ideas and practice with others in the Commonwealth family could assist all Member States towards developing and adopting effective, innovative and equitable approaches that answered the contemporary needs of citizens.

“The Commonwealth Secretariat itself is active in a variety of ways-from our provision of regional trade capacity-building at the Southern African Development Community located in this city, to our newly-established African Anti-Corruption Centre. We are present, we are active, and we seek to work both with vision and with practical tool kits in our hands,” he said.

Mr Sharma commended Botswana’s commitment to good governance through the rule of law and said the country’s hosting of the Commonwealth Africa Anti-Corruption Centre was evidence of this commitment.

He also noted the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Division, soon to be renamed Rule of Law Division, had worked alongside Botswana and many other member states in achieving significant advances towards strengthening national institutions to facilitate the administration and delivery of the rule of law and justice, in a more effective, efficient and equitable manner. Ends