The High Level Group, which includes Dame Billie Miller of Barbados, that will make recommendations on governance of the Commonwealth Secretariat held its first meeting earlier this month at Marlborough House, the Commonwealth’s headquarters in London.
At their last summit in Malta, Commonwealth heads of government directed the secretary general to form the group.
At their first meeting, the group’s members discussed the scope of its work and the areas of governance it will examine over the coming months. The process is open and the group reports to the heads.
The group is not looking at who should succeed Queen Elizabeth as head of the Commonwealth, as was reported by the BBC and the Press Association of London. The issue of succession of the Head of the Commonwealth is not part of its mandate.
Former president of Kiribati, Anote Tong, chairs the group, whose members include Dame Billie, former Deputy Prime Minister of Barbados; Lord Howell, former British energy secretary, and Louise Frechette, former United Nations deputy secretary general. (PR)