Kamalesh Sharma

·         On April 1, 2008 Indian diplomat Kamalesh Sharma took charge as the Commonwealth Secretary General

·         He expressed …  issues of women and youth as well as development challenges faced by small states will be among his top priorities.

·         Sharma, who served as India's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom before his appointment to the Commonwealth, succeeded Don McKinnon, who stepped down at the end of his eight-year tenure.

·         The Commonwealth Secretary-General is the head of the Commonwealth Secretariat, the central body which has served the Commonwealth of Nations since its establishment in 1965.

The Commonwealth

·         Founded in 1931

·         Formerly known as the British Commonwealth of Nations, the Commonwealth is a loose association of former British colonies, dependencies and other territories - and Mozambique, which has no historical ties to Britain.

·         The modern Commonwealth has its roots in the 19th century, when the British Empire began to disintegrate.

·         But it was only after India's and Pakistan's independence in 1947 that the Commonwealth defined its modern shape.

·         It dropped the word British from its name, the allegiance to the crown from its statute, and became a receptacle for decolonised nations.

·         The British monarch, however, remained the official "head of the Commonwealth".

·         The Commonwealth has no constitution or charter, but the heads of government of its member states hold Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings (CHOGM) every two years to discuss issues of common interest.

·         In between the summits, the London-based Secretariat - the Commonwealth's executive arm - takes responsibility for carrying out programmes agreed upon during the various meetings.

·         The Secretariat is headed by a secretary-general.

·         Key bodies: Commonwealth Foundation, Commonwealth of Learning

Leader: Queen Elizabeth II

·         As head of the Commonwealth, the Queen is recognised by its members as the "symbol of their free association".

·         She attends the Commonwealth summits and the Commonwealth Games, which are held every four years. Also, on every Commonwealth Day, which is the second Monday in March, she broadcasts a message to all member countries.

Donald McKinnon

·         Don McKinnon, was elected in November 1999 and assumed office on 1 April 2000.

·         A New Zealander, he had previously served as foreign minister and deputy prime minister.

·         McKinnon won re-election for a second term in the post in December 2003.