Britain’s Price Charles addresses the business forum, at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, in St. Julians, Malta, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2015.
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The Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, being the Head of the Commonwealth, opened the biennial meeting being held with the theme “Adding Global Value”.
The Queen talks to Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
In his welcome address, Prime Minister of Malta Joseph Muscat said combating terrorism and extremism should be the top most priority of Commonwealth and sought wider discussion among the member countries to deal with the challenge of climate change.
“Man is man’s worst enemy”. Human beings are destroying nature, damaging the environment.
“Ahead of COP21 it is a powerful signal to other countries of the world to show a similar level of ambition and commitment to working together for a strong result in Paris”, he said.
Mr Ban said people around the world were urging their leaders to strike an ambitious agreement. A special session will be dedicated to climate change, reports Xinhua news agency.
Commonwealth leaders have agreed to set up a climate change hub to facilitate access to funds for the small and poor countries, a decision which is in sync with India’s demand for providing adequate financial resources to developing nations to reduce green house gas emissions.
The prime minister along with other leaders voted for CHOGM’s new secretary general through straw poll – an ad hoc or unofficial vote that provides dialogue among movements within larger groups.
There’s been speculation that former coalition foreign minister Alexander Downer could be given the post.
The organization appointed its first female secretary-general yesterday when leaders chose Dominica-born lawyer Patricia Scotland to take over the running of the 53-country organisation.
“Terrorists are more scared of well-educated girls and boys that manage to get a good job then they will ever be of any army”, Dr Muscat said. “We do have a responsibility to act now”, he said.
“While I am a republican, I have to say to you, there are much more immediate issues facing me and the government than the republic”, he said just days after being sworn in as prime minister in September.
The Queen, Prince Philip, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall were last to be seated in the front row. With its long history of resilience and courage in the face of adversity, Malta is a reminder that a nation’s size is no measure of the moral strength of its people or its willingness to play a full part in the global agenda. She has described the two years she lived on the island as a newlywed when Prince Philip was stationed here with the Royal Navy as the happiest in her life.
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The Maltese government had hoped to buy the building and turn it into a tourist attraction but a long-drawn legal battle with its current owners means nothing has been done, the Daily Telegraph reported. The monarch praised her husband the Duke of Edinburgh for his “boundless energy and commitment” throughout her time as Head of the Commonwealth, telling the audience she was “indebted” to him.
