Commonwealth of Nations/Timelines

• 1887: The first Colonial Conference beginning a series of consultations between Britain and its colonies.
• 1926 The 6th Imperial Conference established the Dominions as equal communities within the British Empire, with a common allegiance to the Crown.
• 1930: First Commonwealth Games held in Hamilton, Canada.
• 1931 Statute of Westminster confirmed the equality of Britain and the Dominions of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland, and Newfoundland.
• 1949 The London Declaration
• 1965 The Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Foundation are established
• 1961 South Africa's membership is suspended because of is apartheid policy.
• 1971 The Singapore Declaration of Commonwealth Principles including individual liberty, democratic rights and opposition to colonialism and racialism

Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation

• 1972: Pakistan withdraws from the Commonwealth over impending recognition of Bangladesh.
• 1977 Gleneagles Agreement discouraging sporting contacts with South Africa because of its apartheid policies.
• 1979 Lusaka Declaration on Racism and Racial Prejudice.
• 1987 Fiji suspended from Commonwealth following the overthrow of its government.
• 1991 The Harare Commonwealth Declaration adds democracy, good government and human rights to the Commonwealth's shared principles.
• 1994 - South Africa rejoins the Commonwealth following the end of apartheid.
• 1995 - Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group is set up to deal with violators of the Commonwealth's shared principles.

Nigeria suspended from the Commonwealth after it sentenced to death the writer Ken Saro-Wiwa and a group of fellow activists.

• 1997 - Fiji is reinstated after it adopts new constitution more in line with Commonwealth's shared principles.
• 1999 Nigeria reinstated after its return to civilian rule.

Pakistan suspended because of military take-over.

• 2002 Zimbabwe is suspended for a year over President Robert Mugabe's controversial re-election.
• 2003 Zimbabwe's suspension is made permanent.
• 2004 Pakistan is readmitted.
• 2007 Pakistan is suspended for a second time after President Musharraf declares a state of emergency and sacks top judges.
• 2008 Pakistan's suspension is lifted when Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group says the government has taken positive steps to fulfil its obligations.
• 2009 Rwanda becomes the 54th member of the Commonwealth

Fiji is suspended from membership after military ruler refuses to schedule elections.

Affirmation of Commonwealth Values and Principles including a call for the Eminent Persons Group to report on the options for reform.

• 2011 Heads of Government fail to endorse all of the Eminent Persons report on the need for reform concerning democracy and human rights[1].
• 2012 Commonwealth Advisory Bureau (CA/B) submission to the UK Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee Inquiry on "The role and future of the Commonwealth" [2].