King Charles steps out in traditional attire for CHOGM in Samoa
Fresh from his tour of Australia, King Charles parted with his usual dapper suit look for an official welcome at a Commonwealth summit in Samoa. See photos.
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King Charles and Queen Camilla have been officially welcomed at a Commonwealth summit in Samoa fresh from their tour of Australia.
The British monarchs wore traditional white attire as they attended a royal 'Ava ceremonial' welcome at the National University of Samoa in Apia.
Charles, 75, said in Canberra on Monday that the Commonwealth played a “significant role” on the world stage.
“It has the diversity to understand the world’s problems, and the sheer brain power and resolve to formulate practical solutions,” he said.
This year’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) takes place in Apia, the coastal capital of Samoa, halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii.
The biennial meeting between 56 world leaders is expected to attract around 3000 delegates, but the most high-profile guests are Charles and Camilla.
Samoa has spent months preparing for the summit, including renovating hotels and running a two-month gun amnesty to ensure the safety of world leaders and summit attendees.
The scheme offered illegal gun owners $US36 ($A54) in grocery vouchers if they surrendered their firearms.
Each Commonwealth country has been adopted by a village, which has been decorated in that country’s colours and national flags.
The conference is the first hosted by a Pacific Island nation and will be an “extraordinary” opportunity to showcase the region, Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland told AFP.
Scotland hopes the summit will “cement” the Commonwealth family “as we look to what, for many, is a very troubled and complex future”.
“We have two choices globally. We can either swim together or we can drown separately,” she said.
“The Commonwealth has never been for drowning. It’s always been for fighting.”
Scotland’s sentiment is reflected in the theme of this year’s summit: “One Resilient Common Future”, with discussions to focus on the environment, democratic systems, economy, youth, gender and digital transformation.
Climate change and rising sea levels are expected to feature heavily, with world leaders to deliberate on an Ocean Declaration which will aim to prioritise initiatives for a healthy and resilient ocean.
Many communities in the region have been forced to relocate to higher ground as rising seas swallow their homes.
About 70 per cent of Samoa’s population lives in low-lying coastal areas.
Nonetheless, the legacy of empire will loom over the summit, in particular when leaders select a new secretary-general nominated from the African region – in line with regional rotations of the position.
Scotland has been secretary-general since 2016, and all three candidates to succeed her have called publicly for reparations for slavery and colonialism.
The candidates are Joshua Setipa from Lesotho, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey from Ghana and Mamadou Tangara from the Gambia.
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Originally published as King Charles steps out in traditional attire for CHOGM in Samoa
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