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What is the Commonwealth

GeneralEdward Kiledjian

The British Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 member states. Most are former territories of the British Empire, but several members have never been under British rule, such as Mozambique and Rwanda. The Commonwealth's membership spans the globe, representing 2.4 billion people, making it the world's most prominent political association after the United Nations.

The Commonwealth is not a political union like the European Union, and its members are sovereign nations that retain complete control over their internal affairs. However, the member states cooperate on a range of issues, such as trade, education, and defence. The Commonwealth also has its own institutions, including the Secretariat (its headquarters), the Commonwealth Games, and the Commonwealth Bank.

The modern Commonwealth traces its origins back to the British Empire. After World War II, many of Britain's colonies became independent nations, but they chose to remain part of the Commonwealth out of a shared sense of heritage and identity. Today, the Commonwealth is an important force for good globally, promoting democracy, development, and human rights.

Who leads the Commonwealth?

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of independent states, so no one person or country leads the organization. Instead, it operates on the principle of consensus, which means that decisions are only made if all member states agree to them.

However, the Commonwealth does have a few formal institutions, such as the Secretariat (the organization's headquarters) and the Commonwealth Games. The head of the Secretariat is the Commonwealth Secretary-General, who is appointed by the member states. The current Secretary-General is Patricia Scotland, who was elected on April 1, 2016.

The Commonwealth also has a symbolic head in the form of the Head of the Commonwealth. This position is currently held by Queen Elizabeth II, who has been the Head of the Commonwealth since her coronation in 1952.