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Commonwealth is a true agent of progress

— PHOTO: AP

Queen Elizabeth II, Head of the Commonwealth.

March 9 was Commonwealth Day. To mark it, Queen Elizabeth was set to join 2,000 others at Westminster Abbey, London, for the U.K.’s largest multifaith observance. Since emerging from the colonial era as a voluntary grouping of independent nations 60 years ago, the modern Commonwealth has done a great deal to promote democracy, international understanding and the interests of vulnerable states. Yet, at least in the U.K., if more is not done to raise its visibility and relevance the Commonwealth risks disappearing from the national consciousness.

In 1969, a Gallup poll found that 34 per cent of British people identified the Commonwealth as the most important part of the world for Britain, on a par with those who said America, and one and a half times those who said Europe. An RCS/YouGov survey finds that only 14 per cent of British do so now, well behind America and Europe.

More worrying is the fact that, although many Brits feel warmly about the Commonwealth (42 per cent said they would be sorry or appalled if Britain left the association, compared with 4 per cent who would be pleased), only one in five respondents could name any of its activities. Levels of awareness among young people are poor: only a third of 18- to 34-year-olds could identify Jamaica or South Africa as members, and a third did not know the Queen was its head.

Invisibility does not, of course, equate to irrelevance. Some of the Commonwealth’s best work is done behind the scenes. The secretariat has helped some of the world’s most delicate peace negotiations and democratic transformations. A vibrant network of Commonwealth civil society organisations promotes interaction between its peoples, but usually away from the limelight.

However, relative invisibility may explain the downward spiral in British attitudes to the Commonwealth. In the 70s and 80s, when the association took strong stances on white rule in Rhodesia and apartheid in South Africa, it was regarded as brave and effective. Without similar high-profile successes in recent years, popular support has fallen, and it becomes ever more difficult to convince incoming foreign secretaries it should be a priority. Britain’s financial contribution to the Commonwealth is about 20p per person per year, compared to £2 to the U.N., £10 to Nato and £54 to the EU.

A voluntary association of states committed to democracy, development and diversity should have huge potential. Yet the Commonwealth has recently seemed unable or unwilling to flex its muscle. Just last week Fiji was allowed to stay a member (in suspension) despite the military government’s failure to meet deadlines for elections.

A more fundamental long-term challenge for the Commonwealth in the U.K. is to become relevant to a new generation who may not remember colonial ties, let alone recall them fondly. But this is where its greatest potential lies. If the Commonwealth applies its unique brand of diplomacy and collaboration to the issues of the day, it can transform itself into a true agent of progress. On climate change, for instance, it offers the opportunity for non-binding but useful conversations between countries that are rich, poor, big and small. On education, the networks, scholarships and exchanges across Commonwealth countries are unparalleled. On peace-building, Commonwealth organisations run wonderful projects among young people in conflict situations.

Very few people in Britain seem to hate the Commonwealth, but unless many more are given reason to start loving it, it risks becoming a relic.

(Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah is director of the Royal Commonwealth Society.)

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