Mumuni grabs top position… Chairs Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group

GHANA'S Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Alhaji Mahammad Mumuni, will serve as Chair of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) for a two-year term.

This follows the election of Ghana, by acclamation, to chair the group during the just-ended three-day Commonwealth Summit held in Trinidad and Tobago. Ghana also retained its membership of the CMAG for a second consecutive term.

The group is the adjudicatory body responsible for ensuring compliance of the core values and principles of the Commonwealth.

The CMAG has nine members, representing their countries for a two-year term. Other member countries of the CMAG are, Trinidad and Tobago, which occupies the Vice Chairmanship position, Bangladesh, Maldives, Australia, New Zealand, Namibia, Vanuatu and Jamaica.

Currently, the CMAG has suspended Fiji for an unconstitutional change of government. Nigeria, Pakistan and Zimbabwe have, at one time or the other, been suspended by the CMAG on the same grounds.

Meanwhile, Alhaji Mumuni left Trinidad and Tobago yesterday for Mexico City, to attend the 18th Session of the Council of Member States of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), scheduled to take place from December 1 to 3.

Alhaji Mumuni is billed to be one of the key dignitaries during the IDEA session, with reports suggesting he may be considered for the chairmanship position of the IDEA Council of Member States.

The global pro-democracy group was established as an inter-governmental organisation by 14 countries in Stockholm, Sweden in 1995.

With its headquarters in Stockholm, the IDEA seeks to promote and advance sustainable democracy worldwide, through a global effort to consolidate democratic electoral processes.

Currently, the IDEA has 25 members with Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, Cape Verde and Ghana, as the only African members. Other member countries include Canada, Norway, Sweden, Germany, among others.