Indian is new Commonwealth secretary general

[Flintlock]

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Indian is new Commonwealth secretary general

2 days ago


KAMPALA (AFP) — Commonwealth leaders unanimously appointed Indian Kamalesh Sharma as the grouping's new secretary general on Saturday, outgoing head Don McKinnon said Saturday.

Sharma is currently India's high commissioner to Britain and will take up his new job next year when New Zealander McKinnon steps down at the end of his second four-year term, the maximum allowed.

"It will be an honour and a privilege to serve this great international institution," Sharma said at a news conference outside the Ugandan capital Kampala where the 53-nation grouping is holding its biennial summit.

On Thursday Commonwealth foreign ministers overcame objections from members such as Sri Lanka to suspend India's arch rival Pakistan for failing to restore democratic freedoms.

The loose federation of mostly British former colonies represents nearly a third of the world's population from some of its poorest to some of its richest.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is at the Commonwealth meet in Kampala, and Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee welcomed Sharma's appointment.

In a statement released by the foreign ministry in New Delhi, Singh said he was "delighted" at Sharma's election, adding that he was confident the Indian diplomat would "acquit himself well in his higher responsibilities as the first servant of the entire Commonwealth."

Mukherjee in his statement thanked the Commonwealth nations who had supported Sharma's candidature.

Sharma, who will take up his post on April 1, 2008, is the first secretary general from an Asian Commonwealth country in more than 40 years.

The appointment is also timely, as India -- the largest member state in the 53-nation grouping -- prepares to host the next Commonwealth Games in 2010.

Leaders at the summit, which began on Friday and runs until Sunday, are discussing issues such as global trade and climate change ahead of next month's crunch international climate change conference in Bali.

[fatman17]

I would not lose sleep over this!!

[Flintlock]

I would not lose sleep over this!!

I don't think there is any need for you to lose sleep...

[IceCold]

Congrulations over becoming the new secretary of the CW.

[Black Stone]

Good news for India, hope he does a good job.

[Energon]

Honest question: what exactly is the importance of the commonwealth in this day and age? It just seems to me that the organization has become a venue for India to project their power and business interests in other developing nations and the UK. I'm not saying this is wrong.... but I would like to know if there is another purpose here.

[bhangra12345]

Honest question: what exactly is the importance of the commonwealth in this day and age? It just seems to me that the organization has become a venue for India to project their power and business interests in other developing nations and the UK. I'm not saying this is wrong.... but I would like to know if there is another purpose here.

one of the most useless organisations in the world, the only thing they can do is to sometimes embarass some countries by pulling the bogie of democracy, infact zero use.

[Awesome]

And that too they do it selectively. Perhaps the Indian guys who were quick to vote Pakistan out should start kicking out the others too now? The truth is the situation in Pakistan is far better than many of the others that get to stay.

I mean they made this declaration sitting in Uganda. Uganda a military dictator far worst off. Heck check out our NZ. The libertarian leader had this to say:

"The New Zealand government's record in this area isn't good," continues Darnton. "In 2005 they flouted election laws by stealing public money to buy propaganda. In 2006, they abandoned all constitutional norms and retrospectively changed the law so that they wouldn't be called into the High Court to answer for that action. This year the government has passed legislation allowing them to steal far more at the next election. Worst of all, the Clark regime is now trying to ram through legislation that would ban me from pointing out that they are behaving like tyrants and telling people not to vote for them."

Darnton called for New Zealand to hold free and fair elections as scheduled next year, to remove the requirement to register with the state before speaking, and to lift the proposed restrictions on free political expression.

Prime Minister Helen Clark is currently in Uganda, picking up tips from other leaders of third-word pseudo-democracies.

Heck Nigeria gets to stay. Have they stopped their email frauds yet? I would expect Indians to feel some sort of insult to be elected as the leader of such hypocrites.

[Flintlock]

I would expect Indians to feel some sort of insult to be elected as the leader of such hypocrites.

Not at all....it doesn't really matter how effective (or relevant) the Commonwealth is etc etc.

The position is a prestigious one and has a lot of "soft" perks.

[ejaz007]

Congratulations, hope he is able to do some positive things.

[HK-47]

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UN(ok except for some programmes mostly unsuccessful),OIC and the CW are totally useless organisations.I might add SAARC to that list soon.