The theme of this year’s Commonwealth summit

The theme of this year’s CWsummit:
“Directing the people of the member states towards a healthy transformation in political, economic, and human resource development. ”

Sri Lanka President arrives in Uganda for the Commonwealth leaders' meeting
Thursday, November 22, 2007, 15:57 GMT, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Nov 22, Colombo: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa and First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa arrived at the Entebbe International Airport in Uganda today to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). The meeting will be held in Kampala from Friday, 23 November to Sunday, 25 November 2007.
Queen Elizabeth II as the head of the Commonwealth will open the meeting at the Opening Ceremony on Friday at the Kampala Serena Conference Centre.
A total of 52 heads of government will attend the CHOGM that is held every two years and brings together leaders of the 53 Commonwealth countries to discuss global and Commonwealth issues, and to agree upon collective policies and initiatives.
The theme of this year’s summit is “Directing the people of the member states towards a healthy transformation in political, economic, and human resource development. ” The meeting provides an opportunity to showcase Uganda as a tourist destination and also to host the Queen.

Pakistan given Commonwealth ban
BARRY MOODY AND JOE CHURCHER IN KAMPALA
PAKISTAN was suspended from the Commonwealth last night as international pressure intensified on General Pervez Musharraf to restore democracy.
A committee of foreign ministers approved the sanction after Pakistan's president failed to meet a deadline to lift emergency rule and step down as army chief.
Gen Musharraf imposed emergency measures earlier this month, claiming it was necessary due to the threat of militants and an unruly judiciary.
The resulting crackdown saw lawyers and political opponents rounded up by those loyal to the president and placed under house arrest or jailed.
But the foreign ministers, including David Miliband, said: "The situation in Pakistan continues to represent a serious violation of the Commonwealth's fundamental political values."
The decision was taken at the Commonwealth summit in the Ugandan capital of Kampala.
Don McKinnon, the organisation's secretary general, last night announced that Pakistan had been suspended "pending restoration of democracy and rule of law".
While suspension has few immediate practical consequences, analysts say it could further isolate Pakistan and discourage foreign investment.
Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, who is at the summit, said: "Commonwealth ministers have made their clear and necessary decision on suspension of Pakistan from the Commonwealth.
"President Musharraf has said that he will take steps necessary to restore democracy. The Commonwealth is strongly of the view that he must now do so.
"We will work with Pakistan and the Commonwealth to ensure Pakistan returns to its rightful position in the Commonwealth once the remaining steps are taken."
A statement released by foreign ministers expressed disappointment that while there had been some progress, many of the Commonwealth's demands, laid down on at a meeting on 12 November had "remained substantially unfulfilled".
Mr Miliband said the international community had to pressure Pakistan into holding free and fair elections in the country.
He said the decision was taken "more in sorrow than in anger".
"I think an election can take place on a free and fair basis and part of the job of the international community is to exercise the pressure to ensure that it is," the Foreign Secretary said.
"Emergency law is a big obstacle in the way of a free and fair election. We have been clear that political prisoners need to be released and restrictions on the media lifted as well as the restoration of constitutional law and the renunciation by General Musharraf of his position as head of the army."
Mr Miliband welcomed the release of certain political prisoners in Pakistan, including the cricketer turned politician Imran Khan, but said the moves did not go far enough.
The best hope for Pakistan's moderate majority was to have its voice heard through the ballot box in free elections involving all parties, he added.
"The history of Pakistan's engagement with the Commonwealth shows that this family, does make a difference to them, and we hope this will strengthen the resolve of people in government and outside to bring back the rule of law and constitutional order in Pakistan."
Pakistan has been suspended before, in 1999 after Gen Musharraf seized power.
OBSTACLES CLEARED
THE last obstacle to General Pervez Musharraf taking control of Pakistan as a civilian leader was cleared away yesterday by a court run by judges loyal to his regime.
The supreme court, purged by the president of his opponents earlier this month, threw out a final challenge to the legality of his election.
Gen Musharraf is now in a position to carry out his promise to step down as head of the army, possibly as soon as this weekend, and partly defuse international criticism of his running of the country.
However, the party headed by the former cricket star Imran Khan yesterday led calls for an opposition boycott of January parliamentary elections that the West hopes will produce a moderate government able to turn a tide of Islamic militancy.
Malik Mohammed Qayyum, the attorney general, said yesterday's court ruling "means there is no challenge to his eligibility [to serve as president] and to the election".
He said the court will order election authorities to formally accept the result today.
After that, "the president will be free to take the oath" as a civilian president, he said.
Gen Musharraf declared the emergency just before the supreme court was to rule on complaints that the constitution bars the head of the army from running for elected office.