Dates 14–22 January 1971 Participants 32 (of 32 members) Follows 1969 | Cities Singapore Heads of State or Government 26 | |
Chair Lee Kuan Yew
(Prime Minister) | ||
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 1971 was the first Meeting of the Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Nations. It was held in Singapore, between 14 January 1971 and 22 January 1971, and was hosted by that country's Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew.
British Prime Minister Edward Heath advised Queen Elizabeth II not to attend the conference due to a row within the Commonwealth over Britain selling arms to South Africa. It would be the only CHOGM the Queen would miss until 2013.
Ugandan president Milton Obote was overthrown by Idi Amin in a military coup, whilst he was attending the meeting.
At the meeting the Singapore Declaration of Commonwealth Principles was agreed setting out the core political values that would form the main part of the Commonwealth's membership criteria.