London, Mar 14, 2014: The President of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), HRH Tunku Imran, has welcomed today’s decision by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) to lift Fiji’s full suspension from the Commonwealth – a decision which clears the way for Fiji to compete in the 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, this summer.
His Royal Highness said: “I am delighted to welcome Fiji back into the Commonwealth Games family, and very pleased that they will be able to participate in Glasgow. The Games will be an incredible festival of sport, and the celebrations will be all the more complete with our Fijian friends and colleagues taking part.
“The CGF has made numerous representations for Fiji to be allowed to participate in the Games since the suspension was imposed; most recently at our General Assembly last August, which was attended by Commonwealth Secretary General HE Kamlesh Sharma, and I’m glad that this has occurred in time for Glasgow.
“The CGF will now work with our colleagues at the Organising Committee in Glasgow, along with Mr Reg Sanday, President of the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee(FASANOC), and his team, to facilitate their participation.”
Photo: Percival Epeli Navolo (Fiji) competing in the 1km Mens Time Trial at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
1. The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) held its forty-third meeting at Marlborough House, London, on 14 March 2014.
2. The relevant section of its statement reads: “CMAG decided that Fiji’s current full suspension from the Commonwealth should be changed to suspension from the councils of the Commonwealth, thus permitting Fiji once again to participate in a range of Commonwealth activities, including the Commonwealth Games, recognising the role of sport in bringing people together”
3. The meeting was chaired by Hon. Bernard K. Membe, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Republic of Tanzania. It was also attended by Hon. Ioannis Kasoulides, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus; Hon. Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guyana; Hon. Salman Khurshid, Minister of External Affairs of India; Hon. Murray McCully, Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand (Vice Chair of CMAG); Hon. Sartaj Aziz, Adviser to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on National Security and Foreign Affairs; Hon. Dr. Samura Kamara, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Sierra Leone; Hon. Clay Forau Soalaoi, Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Solomon Islands; and Hon. Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of External Affairs of Sri Lanka. —- CGF
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.