His Excellency Dr. Irfaan Ali called for stability and bold and innovative thinking to take the Commonwealth into the future

The Head of State was joined by the leaders of Rwanda, Samoa and Sierra Leone and returning Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, for the closing press conference of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2022 today, in Kigali, Rwanda.

During his brief address, President Ali also lauded the new Commonwealth Chair-in-Office, the President of Rwanda, His Excellency Paul Kagame, as a leader who demonstrates vision and creative initiatives.

Such attributes, he emphasised, are necessary to navigate the current crisis and insecurities facing the world.

At the biennial meeting this week, the Commonwealth leaders discussed the impact of conflict, the Covid-19 pandemic, including the need for equitable distribution of vaccines, and the urgent threat of climate change.