Commonwealth Chief arrives for the Games

The Secretary General of the Commonwealth Games, Kamalesh Sharma, has touched down in Samoa for the Commonwealth Youth Games, which opens tomorrow night.

Today, Mr. Sharma will pay a courtesy visit to the Head of State, His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi at his residence at Tuaefu.

The visit to the Head of State will be followed by another courtesy call to the Office of Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi.

This is Mr. Sharma’s second visit to Samoa in as many years.

Last year, the Commonwealth Secretary General was in Apia for the Small Islands Developing States (S.I.D.S) conference, during which he made a huge contribution to the success of the conference.

During an interview with the Samoa Observer then, Mr. Sharma demanded more practical commitments from world leaders to the plight of S.I.D.S in relation to climate change. He said it was as “much a moral and an ethical obligation on the global community” to help small island states.

“We need to get a work plan going for them, which cushions them from external shocks and provides sustainability,” Mr. Sharma said about S.I.D.S and how the bigger nations can help.

“Basically these are the entities that are the most likely to suffer from the environment in which they are finding themselves.” Mr. Sharma was also impressed about the resilience of small nations.

“It’s very impressive what the small states have done for themselves in these difficult circumstances. I think each one of them have deserved this support because it very difficult circumstances, they’ve made quite striking advances.”

Mr. Sharma also praised Samoa’s development.

As for the Commonwealth, he said its focus is on developing the small countries.

"This is where the heart beats right now for the Commonwealth because our work from the very beginning has been based on a very enlightened realisation, which is that global outcomes have to be equal for everybody.

“If you look at the way the financial world, the world of technology, the world of trade works, there is very much a culture of principal actors and actors on the margin and the kind of hierarchy builds up.

“With the Commonwealth, if there is a hierarchy of the Commonwealth in fact, it is inverse. For us, the small states are the real work of the Commonwealth, this is now recognised progressively because if you regard the world as constituting one body, then one cannot say that parts of it can be healthy and parts of it can be neglected.

“For us, we are at the centre here. This the centre for the Commonwealth right now.”

The Commonwealth has 53 member countries, spanning five regions.

For his trip in Apia this week, Mr. Sharma is expected to shift his focus on the young people of the Commonwealth.

For the next wee, up to 1,000 athletes aged 14-18 will converge in Samoa to vie for 107 Gold Medals in nine sports.

The Commonwealth Youth Games are for some the springboard to future Commonwealth Games glory; for many, a formative first taste of an international multi-sport competition; and for all, a joyous celebration of high-performance sport, personal development and new Commonwealth friendships made on the level playing field of sport.

Launched in 2000 and now in its 5th edition, the Youth Games are a sustainable opportunity for smaller cities and nations to benefit from hosting a major sporting event, using predominantly pre-existing venues (in Samoa's case constructed for the 2007 Pacific Games) whilst also promoting an inclusive and positive youth agenda.

Mr. Sharma, of India, is the fifth Commonwealth Secretary-General. He succeeded Don McKinnon, of New Zealand, who stepped down when his eight-year tenure ended on 31 March 2008.