The commonwealth is no longer 54 but 56 countries after Gabon and Togo were admitted on Friday.
Commonwealth chairman and President of Rwanda Paul Kagame made the revelation while addressing the media at the end of the two day commonwealth heads of government meeting in Kigali Rwanda
It is the first time that new nations have joined in more than a decade, and the first time since 1995 that two have joined at once.
The two west African countries will follow Rwanda and Mozambique as the third and fourth countries to join the Commonwealth’s ranks without having ever been under Britain’s rule. Gabon is a former French colony while Togo used to be under German rule.
- The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 independent and equal sovereign states. Our combined population is 2.5 billion, of which more than 60 per cent is aged 29 or under.
- The Commonwealth spans the globe and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. Thirty-two of our members are small states, many of which are island nations.
- The Commonwealth Secretariat supports member countries to build democratic and inclusive institutions, strengthen governance and promote justice and human rights. Our work helps to grow economies and boost trade, deliver national resilience, empower young people, and address threats such as climate change, debt and inequality.
- Member countries are supported by a network of more than 80 intergovernmental, civil society, cultural and professional organizations.