What are the benefits of joining Commonwealth?

There has been a raging debate on whether joining Commonwealth has any economic and other positive aggregated advantages than being out of it. It has been a debate marred with perceptions, ignorance and ignoramus of facts at times, but not all those who put across their augments got it wrong.

The Commonwealth initially known as British Commonwealth was established exactly 50 years ago, in fact this year’s theme is ‘Adding Global Value [celebrating 50 years]’. It has been stuck in its founding principles which is to uphold justice, human rights, democracy and accountability to member states. Who can argue that those fundamentals are as a challenging today as they were 50 years ago? Apparent Mugabe was suspended on the same principles of failing to uphold human rights and democratic principles. His subsequent unilaterally declaration to pull out was a sign of dictatorial tendencies which we Zimbabweans continue harvest with a pinch of salt up to today. The same Commonwealth values were adopted this year in September by UN on its SDGs being article 16 of the 17 adopted articles, which Mugabe endorsed but the same wording he couldn’t endorse of in the Commonwealth Charter. I failed to understand the logic of ideological incoherence, of failing to understand the same when the same means the same.

I was privileged to be invited to the Commonwealth panel discussion on the upcoming heads of state summit [CHOGM] in Malta November 27. Whether by omission or mission I found myself among them, irrespective of the fact that Zimbabwe is not a member of Commonwealth. I made use of my presence at the high-level Westminster meeting, details of which will be best left for the other day.  Today’s Commonwealth has changed, with 53 member states and not all are former British colonies as many have applied to join irrespective of whether they were British colonies on the basis of national benefit rather than historical ties, Mozambique and Rwanda are such countries. The 53 countries, 18 of which are in Africa have a combined GDP of $8.4 trillion, $2.8 Trillion of trade changed hands, and this is expected to reach $4 trillion in 2020. The Commonwealth is home to more than 2.3 billion people (a consumer base unparalleled).

 The benefits for member states;

1.       Access to a market of over 2.3 billion people globally

2.       Trade and private investments access to $2.8 trillion dollars

3.       Tourism incentives, access 2.3 billion people

4.       Identify and Develop talent through Commonwealth games

5.       Common Law and language of common interpretation

6.       VISA preferential treatment

7.       Immigration and migration

8.       Institutional building and inter member states cooperation’s

9.       Parliamentary cooperation and democratization

1.   Observer missions

The institution is now run by the Secretary General, currently an Indian Diplomat, Kamalesh Sharma, and this year 27 to 29 November they will be electing a new Secretary General, the chances are that the post will go to a third world country given that Europe has only 3 countries, UK, Cyprus and Malta while Africa has the bulk with 18. Democracy is about numbers and I don’t see this post going to UK, I think it might go to Caribbean or Africa, given that India has had its 8 year term which is a maximum for a country. Contrary to what Mugabe want us to believe, that it’s a racist institution, the facts are staggering that it is indeed a progressive group of nations, and ironically he managed to go to India Africa summit for a stumble of his life, does he know that the Commonwealth has been headed by India for the last 8 years and likely to move to South Africa?

No having known what we know of the Commonwealth, do you thing that Zimbabwe stand to benefit from rejoining the Commonwealth?