News

As Commonwealth leaders gather in Samoa for CHOGM 2024, CWEIC Chairman Lord Marland has written for The Spectator Australia, on the role that the Commonwealth can play in bolstering Australia’s regional influence.

Exploring the history of Australian perceptions of the Commonwealth, Lord Marland emphasised the importance of the English language and common law legal systems as a bridge between Commonwealth member states. He urged Australia to embrace the Commonwealth as a core plank of its broader efforts to reengage with the wider Asia-Pacific region, strengthening its hand locally by strengthening its partnerships globally.

“The Commonwealth exists today with untapped economic and geopolitical potential,” said Lord Marland. “Australia should nurture this invaluable network of opportunity, investing more, not less, in its future.”

According to the latest trade figures from the Commonwealth Secretariat, Australia is the largest single source of intra-Commonwealth investment, meaning that Canberra will be invaluable to the long-term fortunes of the bloc.

Read the full article here: https://www.spectator.com.au/2024/10/taking-advantage-of-the-commonwealth/