Written question asked by Lord Tebbit (Conservative), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead (Labour) on Monday, 14 December 2009.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they decided that Rwanda should join the Commonwealth; and when that matter was debated or approved by either House of Parliament.

Answer: Rwanda first applied to join the Commonwealth in the mid-1990s, and was considered in the run-up to the 1997 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Edinburgh in 1997. At that stage, the UK supported the then criteria, which included the need for a constitutional link with an existing Commonwealth member. As such, Rwanda would not have been eligible to join. The 2007 CHOGM in Kampala saw a review of the membership criteria and the condition of a constitutional link was replaced by a close link to an existing Commonwealth member state. The UK has supported Rwanda's bid to join the Commonwealth from this time onwards. This matter has been discussed publicly since time. However, it is not the practice to ratify such decisions made by the Commonwealth or member states in national parliaments—including that of the UK. The decision on new applications to join is taken by all the Commonwealth Heads of Government. Commonwealth Heads of Government voted unanimously to allow Rwanda to join the organisation in Trinidad in November.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 542; 715 c175WA
Session: 2009-10
Related items: Rwanda
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Written questions
House of Lords; Rwanda
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
Written questions
House of Lords
Subjects: Commonwealth Membership Parliamentary scrutiny Rwanda
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk