Queen lands in Malta for Commonwealth summit

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif is representing Pakistan in 24th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

Meanwhile, British Prim-e Minister David Cameron on Friday announced setting up of a £5 million fund for the bloc to target terror groups fuelling the menace and spreading “poisonous ideologies”. The need for increased military action was backed by host nation Malta, whose leader also called for a long-term strategy focusing on better education.

But the pair were left waiting for five minutes for some of the 10 new Commonwealth leaders attending, after a lot of them fell foul of heavy security measures which closed many roads.

While France is not formally taking part in the Valletta talks, Hollande is seeking to send out a message “on the vision of the French presidency for an ambitious, equitable, durable and dynamic (climate) deal”, the presidency said.

Later in the afternoon the Queen took a private audience with Ban Ki-Moon, the UN Secretary General and a guest of the Commonwealth, who told the Queen he was “honoured to be here”.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles greeted the most recently elected heads of state of the Commonwealth for pre-lunch drinks at San Anton Palace, earlier today. She and the Duke of Edinburgh are on a three-day tour of Malta, where they lived as newlyweds, and are being accompanied by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.

Foreign Ministry deputy secretary-general (multilateral affairs), Datuk Ho May Yong said the Commonwealth, which is unique among all global organisations should be regarded as a diverse platform which could achieve a great number of things.

Britain Queen Elizabeth II delivers her speech in front of the heads of government at the opening of the CHOGM (Commonwealth heads of Government meeting) in Valletta, Malta, Friday, Nov. 27, 2015.

The biennial summit attended by world leaders gathered for pressing talks on climate change.

Outgoing Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma said that both Canada and Australia have pledged substantial amounts for combating climate change.

The queen paid tribute to Philip, praising his “boundless energy and commitment” to the Commonwealth, and to Prince Charles and Camilla.

“Small states that have contributed most negligibly to the carbon footprint of the world would be the first to be affected” by the consequences of global warming. Prince Charles commended Pakistan’s valuable contribution to the Commonwealth and also acknowledged the role of civil society in supporting its shared goals on human rights, rule of law and governance.