In September 2022 the Legislative Assembly approved amendments to the Falkland Islands Status Ordinance 1998. The amended Ordinance narrows the definition of a “qualified person” (which at the moment includes a Commonwealth citizen), limiting the definition to include a British citizen, a British Overseas Territory citizen or a British Overseas citizen.
Australia's new Five Dollar bill will replace an image of British monarch Charles III with one honoring Australian Indigenous cultures. It is the last banknote in Australia that still bears the head of recently deceased Queen Elizabeth II.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has made public a page with brings together information on UK government support to people who were born on the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) and their descendants.
Leaders of some 54 countries – from Africa, Europe, Asia, and Southern America – have converged on Kigali, Rwanda, until 25 June for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Philip Murphy, a professor of Commonwealth history (School of Advanced Study) examines the expectations and limitations of the Kigali conference.
This month marks 80 years since Singapore, a British colony with significant strategic importance was invaded and subsequently captured by the Empire of Japan. Its loss represented the lowest point of the war in the Far East and was a matter Prime Minister Winston Churchill never really got over.
The Commonwealth Secretariat and the World Health Organization (WHO) signed on Monday a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) committing to strengthening their collaboration on a broad range of public health issues of particular concern to Commonwealth member states and governments, such as the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccine equity, advancing universal health coverage, and building resilient health systems.
To mark the conclusion of the 110th anniversary of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association this year, the CPA has published a special anniversary book showcasing over 180 Parliament buildings around the Commonwealth and giving an insight into their varied histories. The historic Parliament buildings of Anguilla, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, St Helena, Turks and Caicos Islands and the Virgin Islands (BVI) are featured in this new book.
The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games to take place from 28 July to 8 August will be preceded by the 16th official Queen’s Baton Relay. An epic journey across the Commonwealth, with the Queen’s Baton visiting all 72 nations and territories, reaching Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania, the Caribbean and in the Americas, among others the Falkland Islands on 7 June 2022.
The Parliament of Barbados has passed by 25 votes to none a Constitutional Amendment whereby the former British colony, which remained within the Commonwealth after its declaration of independence in 1966 will become a republic and thus remove Queen Elizabeth as head of state. The decision will become effective on Dec. 1.
The Caribbean island of Barbados wants to remove Britain’s Queen Elizabeth as its head of state and become a republic, the government has said, reviving a plan mooted several times in the past.