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Eye on the Commonwealth

Fortunes, and much else, changes in Bangladesh

Commonwealth analysis and comment

Commonwealth Global Challenges

'Global Challenges and the International Response: What role for the Commonwealth?'

A Round Table conference: videos and reports

The Round Table journal

Informed scholarship and opinion on international relations with a Commonwealth focus serving the worlds of government, business, finance and academe

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Remembering Sir Shridath "Sonny" Ramphal

Memories of Sonny Times and other articles

The Round Table remembers Sir Shridath Ramphal

Climate Change – Challenges, Issues and Commonwealth Responses

Special edition on climate change

Special edition free access

Is the Commonwealth working?

The Round Table and Commonwealth partners hosted a pre-CHOGM conference

Session reports and videos

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Issue 4, Volume 113, Year 2024October 2024

The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs is published six times a year.
Access the latest edition index.

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Special Issues

Contributions on these themes, to the Editor are particularly welcome.
Issue 1, Volume 113, Year 2024Caricom @ 50

Caricom @ 50

Issue 5, Volume 113, Year 2023Religion and Commonwealth values

Religion and Commonwealth values

Issue 3, Volume 112, Year 2023Malaysia: The 15th general election and its implications

Malaysia: The 15th general election and its implications

From the Archive

Issue 361, Volume 90, Year 2001‘The Commonwealth’s contribution in the South Pacific’ by Ken Ross

In this article from 2001 New Zealander Ken Ross outlined the history of the South Pacific island states’ post-independence relationship with the Commonwealth. While highlighting some important Commonwealth contributions, he ended by echoing Arnold Smith’s observation that the Commonwealth was ‘only one of the available instruments of world politics, and sensible statesmen should choose whichever instrument is most appropriate’. ['From the Archives' curated by Alex May and Paul Flather]

Issue 253, Volume 64, Year 1974‘The Commonwealth after Ottawa’ by Pierre Elliott Trudeau

The 1973 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting was held in Ottawa. In this assessment and follow-on its host, the long-serving Canadian prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, considered the role of the Commonwealth and its strengths. He placed particular value on the opportunity for heads to sit down together and share solutions and areas of agreement: ‘We should not underestimate the immense benefits which flow from talking frankly to one another, understanding better one another, eliminating areas of prejudice and irritation, helping one another’.

Issue 5, Volume 104, Year 2015‘Renewing the Commonwealth – a reform agenda for a new Secretary-General’ by Matthew Neuhaus

The role of the Secretary-General is unusually important in setting the tone and agenda for the official Commonwealth. The last time that the Commonwealth chose a new holder of the office was in 2015. In this article from that year, Australian diplomat Matthew Neuhaus set out a clear and comprehensive reform agenda in terms both of aims and of organisation, much of which is even more relevant today.

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