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The Herald, October 18, 1991  

THE South African government regards the Commonwealth as an important world body, specifically from the perspective of Africa since so many of its neighbours are members, says President F.W. de Klerk.

In his exclusive interview he said: “It is obviously a body of international stature and I think Zimbabwe can be proud to have been selected to host this meeting.

“I am not negatively inclined towards the Commonwealth.

“It is a fact that the Commonwealth spent much of its energy and attention at meetings on the South African issue.

“But, I am sure they will find, as the South African situation normalises, that they find subjects of common and mutual interest on which to concentrate.”

He said on the possibility of South Africa re-joining the Commonwealth, that this would be considered by a post-apartheid government looking at the best interests of the country.

He thought, after the meeting of the foreign ministers’ ad hoc group in New Delhi, that discussion at the Harare CHOGM would be more constructive than in the past, but he wanted to refrain from making statements that could be interpreted as an effort to influence events.

“Obviously, I would like the matter of sanctions to be addressed more fundamentally than what appears to be the intention. But nonetheless, from a certain vantage point (the New Delhi recommendation) must be regarded as progress.”

Lessons for today  

• “Commonwealth” is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. As such, they share a strong influence of English common law in some of their laws and institutions.
• Commonwealth member countries are supposed to benefit from being part of a mutually supportive community of independent and sovereign states, aided by more than 80 Commonwealth organisations.
• The Commonwealth Secretariat, established in 1965, is supposed to support Commonwealth member countries to achieve development, democracy and peace.
• After meeting Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on the side-lines of the United Nations General Assembly in 2019, Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland stated, “there are a number of areas where Zimbabwe has made real reforms”; “and that the process of re-joining, “is being accelerated as quickly as possible”.
• CHOGM Lusaka discussed the need for dialogue among Rhodesia’s warring parties and a few months later, the Lancaster House Conference was convened. As an interested party in South African affairs, Britain made sure that it was an agenda item.