Leaders of Commonwealth countries meet every two years for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), hosted by different member countries on a rotating basis. Since 1971, a total of 24 meetings have been held, with the most recent being in the UK in 2018.
Rwanda 2022
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2022 takes place 20-25 June 2022, in Kigali, Rwanda.
Commonwealth leaders will travel to Rwanda to reaffirm their common values and agree actions and policies to improve the lives of all their citizens. Decisions taken at CHOGM also guide the work programme of the Commonwealth Secretariat.
The official opening of CHOGM takes place on Friday 24 June and is followed by the main high-level meetings of Heads on Friday 24 to Saturday 25 June. They are proceeded by four Forums, ministerial meetings, side events and other activities. More information is available below.
CHOGM was due to take place in June 2020 but was postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To support CHOGM on social media, please use hashtag #CHOGM2022. Follow Commonwealth Secretariat on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram for CHOGM updates. For sample posts and assets please use our social media toolkit
Theme
The theme for CHOGM 2022 is ‘Delivering a Common Future: Connecting, Innovating, Transforming.’
This theme highlights how the 54 member countries in the Commonwealth family are ‘innovating, connecting and transforming’ to help achieve some of its biggest goals, like protecting natural resources and boosting trade. It was chosen because Commonwealth countries are connected by deep-rooted networks of friendship and goodwill.
Forums
Four Forums will take place ahead of CHOGM to offer a wider opportunity for dialogue and debate and to ensure the voices of women, young people, civil society and business are heard by leaders meeting in Kigali. Updates on the Forums will follow in due course.
Learn more about the Forums below.
Commonwealth Youth Forum (CYF)
- 19-21 June 2022
- Intare Conference Arena in Kigali, Rwanda
The Commonwealth Youth Forum (CYF 2022), which is held in parallel with the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) will be held in Kigali, Rwanda between 19-21 June 2022 with the theme of ‘Taking Charge of our Future’.
The Commonwealth Youth Forum provides an opportunity for young people of the Commonwealth to build cross-cultural connections and networks, deliberate on youth-led initiatives addressing emerging issues impacting young people, strategise on perspectives to influence decision makers and ensure young people have a voice and agency in its future.
CYF 2022’s theme ‘Taking Charge of our Future’ captures the aspirations and ambitions of our new generation leaders in championing an inclusive and prosperous Commonwealth where young people are key actors and equal stakeholders in shaping the future.
The CYF will reinforce young people’s involvement across the Commonwealth in devising solutions to complex global challenges as well as providing intergenerational spaces to enhance their ability to bring forward meaningful recommendations to the Heads of Government meeting. The Forum will also include opportunities for plenary discussions and action planning breakout sessions, focussed around CHOGM's themes.
CYF incorporates the Commonwealth Youth Council (CYC) General Assembly (the highest decision making gathering of young people in the Commonwealth). The CYC General Assembly enables young people to take stock of the progress of youth-led action addressing development challenges. The CYC is the recognised voice of over 1.2 billion young people from all across the Commonwealth, advocating on their behalf on issues such as climate change, employment, access to education, universal health coverage and gender equality.
Planning for the CYF and the creation of the agenda is undertaken by a youth-led international taskforce in partnership with the Commonwealth Secretariat, Commonwealth Youth Council (CYC) and the Government of Rwanda. The taskforce is co-chaired by the CYC Vice Chairperson for Inclusion and Engagement, and the Chairperson of National Youth Council of Rwanda.
Further updates about how to be a participant at the forum, accreditation and administrative arrangements will follow.
- 20-21 June, 2022
- Serena Hotel in Kigali, Rwanda
Delegates at the Commonwealth Women's Forum will discuss solutions to address pressing challenges affecting women and girls across the Commonwealth and to ensure member countries have robust policies and programmes to meet gender equality targets by 2030.
Proposed solutions from the two-day forum will inform Commonwealth leaders’ discussions and decisions on ending gender inequality – ultimately involving women at the highest level of policymaking to address challenges directly affecting them.
- 21-22 June, 2022
- M Hotel in Kigali, Rwanda
The People’s Forum is the single largest opportunity for people to engage with Commonwealth leaders on global development issues.
The Commonwealth Foundation organises the People's Forum. For more information on how to participate, visit the Foundation's website
- 21-23 June, 2022
- Kigali Convention and Exhibition Village, Rwanda
His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, and the Commonwealth Secretary-General, The Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland QC, announced the postponement of CHOGM 2021 as a result of the continuing impact of the Covid 19 pandemic. The Commonwealth Business Forum will now take place alongside CHOGM 2022 on 21-23 June.
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