British PM announces new funding for Commonwealth counter-extremism unit

The Commonwealth summit is held every two years.

The Prime Minister along with other leaders voted for CHOGM’s new Secretary General through straw poll – an adhoc or unofficial vote that provides dialogue among movements within larger groups.

Speaking before the Commonwealth heads of government meeting on Friday in Malta, David Cameron pledged to increase cooperation with the 53 member states of the Commonwealth to share best practice and identify new approaches to countering “poisonous ideologies”.

Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth II noted that it is rightly said that the Commonwealth is an Association underscored by values, but meaningful progress demands that those values be put into practice.

He said this in a meeting with Prince of Wales, Charles Phillips in Valletta at the sidelines of 24th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

Three nominees – Masire Mwamba from Bostwana, Sir Ronald Sanders from Antigua and Barbuda and Baroness Patricia Scotland from the Commonwealth of Dominica – are vying for the post.

“Queen Elizabeth, dressed in an aqua blue coat with pink flowers adorning her trademark hat, was serenaded by a harp as she arrived to a red-carpet welcome at a huge sandstone conference centre on the seafront in the Maltese capital Valletta”.

Among the prime ministers who took their seats in the ceremony as their flags flashed across giant screens overhead, were Canada’s new leader, Justin Trudeau, Pakistan’s Nawaz Sharif and Pakalitha Mosisili from Lesotho.

The queen paid homage to Philip, commending his “boundless energy and dedication” to the Commonwealth, and to Prince Charles and his wife Camilla who also came to the convention.

In what sounded like valedictory remarks, the Queen said she has cherished her time as leader of the Commonwealth, a role she has held for more than 60 years. Commonwealth Secretary General Dr Kamlesh Sharma received the Sri Lankan President and First Lady Jayanthi Sirisena and together they received the next Chair in Office, Prime Minister of Malta Joseph Muscat and Mrs. Muscat.

Mr Cameron said: “It’s good that president Hollande is here at the Commonwealth meeting because there is a chance in the run up to the vital Paris conference on climate change to build the momentum for a global deal”.