Home Cartoonist Gabon and Togo are admitted to the group of Commonwealth nations | world news

Gabon and Togo are admitted to the group of Commonwealth nations | world news

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By IGNATIUS SSUUNA, Associated Press

KIGALI, Rwanda (AP) — The African nations of Gabon and Togo have been admitted to the group of Commonwealth nations.

“We welcome them,” Rwandan President Paul Kagame, whose government hosted a summit of Commonwealth leaders, told reporters on Saturday.

Gabon and Togo are French-speaking countries that have actively tried to join the 54-nation bloc. The titular head of the Commonwealth is Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. Prince Charles represented his mother at the summit in Kigali, the Rwandan capital.

The admission of the two new members was a highlight of the summit. The meeting, which ends later Saturday, also raised more than $4 billion in pledges for the fight against malaria and other tropical diseases.

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The summit came at an uncertain time for the British monarchy as well as for the Commonwealth, the relevance of which is sometimes questioned.

Even though the Commonwealth looks attractive to potential members, some existing member countries are discussing whether to remove the Queen from their head of state.

Elizabeth is the head of state of 14 Commonwealth realms, but Barbados severed ties with the monarchy in November. Several other Caribbean countries, including Jamaica, say they plan to follow suit.

Charles told the summit on Friday that “free” nations can make such decisions “calmly and without hard feelings”.

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