The 1971 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, officially known as the I Commonwealth Heads Meeting, and commonly known as Singapore 1971, was the first Meeting of the Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Nations (formerly named the British Commonwealth). It was held from 14 to 22 January 1971 in Singapore, and was hosted by Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.
This was the first meeting where Fiji, Tonga and Western Samoa participated.
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. The final document was not ratified by Pakistan. Topics discussed at the meeting included Chinese representation at the United Nations, East-West relations, conflict in Southeast Asia, Portuguese violations of Guinean sovereignty and the situation in the Portuguese colonies, and the South African situation. Members also discussed the repercussions of a future Accession of the United Kingdom to the European Communities.
Participants The following nations were represented: Nation Name Position Lee Kuan Yew (Chairman) Prime Minister John Gorton Prime Minister Errol Barrow Prime Minister Sir Seretse Khama President Pierre Trudeau Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike Prime Minister Makarios III President Sir Kamisese Mara Prime Minister Sir Dawda Jawara Prime Minister Kofi Abrefa Busia Prime Minister Forbes Burnham Prime Minister Swaran Singh Minister of External Affairs Hugh Shearer Prime Minister Daniel arap Moi Vice President Leabua Jonathan Prime Minister Hastings Banda President Abdul Razak Hussein Prime Minister Giorgio Borġ Olivier Prime Minister Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Prime Minister Sir Keith Holyoake Prime Minister Okoi Arikpo Commissioner for External Affairs Ahsanul Huque Minister of Commerce Cyril Foray Minister of External Affairs Makhosini Dlamini Prime Minister Julius Nyerere President Fatafehi Tuʻipelehake Prime Minister Karl Hudson-Phillips Attorney General and Minister for Legal Affairs Milton Obote Prime Minister Edward Heath Prime Minister Tupua Tamasese Lealofi IV Prime Minister Kenneth Kaunda President
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