Days after the British Government’s attempt to deport migrants to Rwanda was aborted, leaders from fifty-four nations are heading voluntarily in the same direction this week. Kigali, the capital of the East African country and Paul Kagame, its controversial president, are playing host to this year’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, known as CHOGM and pronounced “choggum”.
The Commonwealth is an association of nations born out of the wind-down of the British Empire after the Second World War. The word “British” is no longer attached to its name, and while Elizabeth II has been its “Head” throughout her reign in the UK, her heir Prince Charles will take over, subject to the approval of all the member states. At this CHOGM Boris Johnson will hand over to Kagame as “Leader-in-Office”.
