Queen Elizabeth Recalls Her Association With Malta As CHOGM 2015 Kicks Off

From Mohd Razman Abdullah VALLETTA (Malta), Nov 28 (Bernama) -- Queen Elizabeth II expressed her fondness for Malta which she associates with her early married life and the founding of the Commonwealth in 1949. The queen, 89, said that year the island was where she spent her early married life with Prince Philip and it coincided with the founding of the Commonwealth. The British Queen officiated at the key opening of the three-day Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2015, Friday. "Prince Philip and I first came to live here in 1949, the same year in which the Commonwealth was founded," she said. The leader of the Commonwealth also praised the people of Malta and the Maltese government for their commitment to the Commonwealth and was proud of how the Commonwealth members had progressed during her more than 60 years of tenureship. CHOGM, a biennial summit, is an important platform for the heads of government of member states to come together to discuss global and Commonwealth issues, and to decide on collective policies and initiatives. CHOGM in Malta will address issues such as climate change, migration, violent extremism and radicalisation, building resilience in small states, sustainable development, the empowerment of youth, gender equality and human rights. Malta, an island state in the Mediterranean Sea, is hosting the CHOGM for the second time, the first being in 2005. Deputy Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is leading the Malaysian delegation to the CHOGM. Malaysia is expected to host the meeting in 2019. -- BERNAMA