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The newly expanded Commonwealth has made broad commitments to address climate change and boost trade, concluding a summit aimed at shoring up the relevance of a group that evolved from the British empire.
Key points:
- The African nations of Gabon and Togo have been admitted into the Commonwealth group of nations
- Australia's delegation to the meeting was led by Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles
- A controversial asylum deal between the UK and hosts Rwanda loomed over the summit
The week-long Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Rwanda's capital Kigali included comments from Britain's Prince Charles expressing sorrow for his country's role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, the first time the Commonwealth has publicly addressed the subject.
"I want to acknowledge that the roots of our contemporary association run deep into the most painful period of our history," Prince Charles told leaders.
"I cannot describe the depths of my personal sorrow at the suffering of so many as I continue to deepen my own understanding of slavery's enduring impact."
Some members urged the organisation to go further by discussing reparations to countries hurt by the slave trade.
There was no mention of the topic in the final communique or news conference, which instead focused on broad policy pronouncements about sustainable development, health care and gender equality.
A Living Lands Charter stated that Commonwealth countries would work to implement previously signed international deals like the Paris climate agreement.
"We know that we are at code red when it comes to climate change and that the small member states are facing a crisis that could be existential," said Patricia Scotland, who was re-elected during the summit as Commonwealth secretary-general.
Ms Scotland also touted rising trade between Commonwealth members, which she said she expected to hit $US2 trillion ($2.9 trillion) per year by 2030 after collapsing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, who is also Defence Minister, led the Australian delegation to Kigali.
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He was joined by Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy.
"We are united by shared democratic values, good governance and the rule of law, respect for international human rights, gender equality and sustainable economic and social development," Mr Conroy said in a statement ahead of the meeting.
He said the meeting was an opportunity to "reaffirm our common values and agree actions and policies to improve the lives of citizens".
Mr Marles met with UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss on the sidelines of the meeting.
"Looking forward to new areas of cooperation in our long-standing partnership with the UK, including under the AUKUS pillars and working together to tackle climate change," Mr Marles wrote on social media.
The club, whose 56 members range from India to the tiny Pacific island nation of Nauru, covers some 2.5 billion people or about one-third of the world's population.
It presents itself as a network for cooperation, but critics say it needs to carve out a more concrete role and be less of a talking shop.
Commonwealth adds new African members
Gabon and Togo were newly accepted into the Commonwealth, part of a trend of French-speaking African states seeking new alliances beyond Paris's old networks of influence.
"We welcome them," said Rwandan President Paul Kagame, whose government hosted a summit of Commonwealth leaders this week.
Gabon and Togo are Francophone countries that actively tried to join the bloc of 54 nations.
"If the Commonwealth wasn't alive and vibrant and constructive, why would countries such as Gabon … and Togo join?" Gabon Foreign Minister Michael Moussa Adamo said.
The Commonwealth's titular head is Britain's Queen Elizabeth II.
Prince Charles represented his mother at the summit in Kigali, the Rwandan capital.
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Barbados cut ties with the monarchy in November. Several other Caribbean countries, including Jamaica, say they plan to follow suit.
Prince Charles told the summit that "free" nations could make such decisions "calmly and without rancour".
Concerns over human rights record of hosts Rwanda
Mostly absent from the summit's public discussions were awkward issues concerning the host country.
Many human rights groups consider Rwanda among Africa's most repressive countries.
The US State Department has cited credible reports of arbitrary killings by the government, including politically motivated reprisal killings abroad.
Neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo accuses Rwanda of supporting rebels waging a major offensive in eastern Congo.
Rwanda denies all of these charges.
At the news conference, Rwandan President Paul Kagame defended Rwanda's human rights record and accused Western governments of hypocrisy.
"There is nobody that is in prison in Rwanda that should not be there," he said.
"Actually there are people who are not in prison who should be there."
Also in the spotlight has been Britain's controversial policy to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, described as "appalling" by Prince Charles, according to British media.
"By trying to dump asylum seekers in Rwanda, the UK government is shirking its international responsibility under the Refugee Convention to protect people in need of asylum," said Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International's director for east and southern Africa.
"Commonwealth leaders must take a firm and clear stance to force the UK government to rescind its misguided, cruel and racist policy that shifts its responsibility towards refugees and asylum seekers to Rwanda."
Mr Kagame defended his country's role and denied it was motivated by the 120 million pounds ($212 million) Britain was initially paying Rwanda to house the asylum seekers.
The arrangement was put on hold last week after the European Court of Human Rights blocked the first flight to Rwanda.
"We try to do our best to give them a sense of security and normalcy," Mr Kagame said.
"If they don't come, we won't complain. It's not like we are dying to have people come to us in this manner."
ABC/wires