From left to right: Trinidad & Tobago's Prime Minister Patrick Manning, Rwanda's President Paul Kagame and Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma at the Commonwealth headquarters on Monday 8th March 2010.
8 March 2010
"The Commonwealth can benefit Rwanda, but so too of course can Rwanda benefit the Commonwealth" - Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma
Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma welcomed Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Patrick Manning, the Commonwealth's Chairperson-in-Office, to Marlborough House for Commonwealth Day on 8 March 2010.
Speaking shortly before the flag raising ceremony, Mr Sharma said: "The Commonwealth cannot offer Rwanda the world, but it can offer it the best of its own, and of the world’s thinking, together with its expertise and its networks."
"Rwanda can have many friends and partners. Yes, the Commonwealth can benefit Rwanda, but so too of course can Rwanda benefit the Commonwealth."
Click on the following links for transcripts, speeches and statements from Commonwealth Day:
Transcript of the press conference
Her Majesty the Queen's Commonwealth Day message
Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma's Commonwealth Day message
It is a great pleasure my country joined the Commonwealth group of nations Thanks to president KAGAME and all Commonwealth member nations