As Her Majesty and Prince Philip drove from Entebbe
Airport to the capital, Kampala, they were greeted by
cheering crowds lining every inch of the 20-mile route.
I cannot imagine any head of state except the Queen –
or any international organisation except the
Commonwealth – stirring such popular enthusiasm.
So I’m delighted to report to readers of the Sunday
Express that Her Majesty will be opening
another Commonwealth
summit on April 19 and this time the occasion
will be here in London.
We are unlikely to rival Uganda when it comes to mass
gatherings – something that will be of comfort to the
Metropolitan Police – but this event will demonstrate
the immense value of the Commonwealth, now and in the
future. In some countries, international meetings
happen in plate glass conference centres – think
sumptuous and functional but, dare I say it, rather
bland.
That’s not how Britain does these things, certainly not
when the occasion is so special. We will hold the
summit in Buckingham Palace, Lancaster House and St
James’s Palace. On the final day, the leaders will
travel to Windsor Castle. I hope this will be a
uniquely memorable gathering, showing just how much
importance Britain attaches to the Commonwealth. And I
believe that our faith is amply justified.
As we celebrate Commonwealth Day tomorrow, the
Commonwealth’s 53 members comprise a third of humanity.
Of those 2.4 billion people spread across 6 continents,
60% are under the age of 30. They are joined with us by
ties of history and friendship and the English
language. They share our values of democracy, human
rights and the rule of law. And our natural affinity
finds its expression through the institution of the
Commonwealth.
When you’re looking for future opportunities, any good
businessperson will tell you to go where the growth is.
And for decades, if you untangle the numbers, you will
discover some remarkable facts. Since Britain decided
to join what became the European Union in 1972, the EU
has recorded average annual economic growth of just
over 2%. Yet, over the same period, the Commonwealth’s
economies have expanded twice as fast – by an average
of 4.4% every year. Today, the Commonwealth has a
combined GDP of $10.5 trillion, accounting for almost
14% of the global economy.
India alone has an economy of $2.3 trillion and annual
growth of 7% – faster than any EU country. All of this
represents a huge opportunity for British business.
The good news is that when we leave the EU, we will
regain the power to sign free trade agreements with our
Commonwealth friends, allowing the UK to make the most
of thriving markets. Brexit will give us the ability to
open a new era of friendship with countries across the
world.
A key theme of the London summit will be how to boost
trade within the Commonwealth. We’ll also discuss how
to improve security co-operation and take joint action
to protect the world’s oceans, bearing in mind that the
Commonwealth includes island states in the Pacific, the
Indian Ocean and the Caribbean.
And I will ensure that the summit focuses on the
terrible injustice that deprives millions of girls of
the chance to go to school. At this moment, over 130
million girls across the world are not in the
classroom, many of whom – alas – live in Commonwealth
countries.
My aim is for all governments to promise to deliver 12
years of quality education and learning for every
child. The fact that we will discuss such a wide range
of subjects – trade, security, girls’ education,
protecting the oceans – is yet more proof of the value
of the Commonwealth.
This is going to be a great summit and a huge
opportunity for a Global Britain.
