Sir Donald McKinnon becomes the Commonwealth's Special Envoy to Maldives [1]
Friday, March 2, 2012 - 11:44. Updated on Tuesday, September 3, 2013 - 15:49.
The Rt Hon Sir Donald McKinnon has been appointed as the Special Envoy of the Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma to the Maldives.
The Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma made the announcement yesterday, March 1, in London, and expressed his appreciation that Sir Donald has agreed to be his Special Envoy to the Maldives.
In a Press statement from the Commonwealth Secretariat, Mr Sharma said that he was delighted that Sir Donald agreed to be his Special Envoy for the Maldives. "He will visit Maldives to promote the consolidation of democratic culture and institutions, and Commonwealth values and principles; to encourage inclusive agreement among political leaders on a way forward from the current political situation; and, to oversee further Commonwealth support for Maldives, including a new technical assistance programme aimed principally at strengthening the judiciary.
"These are very serious times for Maldives. Co-operation and a shared sense of national interest are required, as well as restraint. Our Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group is understandably deeply concerned, and is committed to working with Maldives in a constructive and positive way. The Commonwealth at large is fully committed to assisting Maldives.”
Sir Donald McKinnon is a former Commonwealth Secretary-General (2000-2008), and former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand. During his tenure as Secretary-General, he led the Commonwealth’s support for Maldives’ transition to multiparty democracy. He previously brokered a peace accord in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, for which he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Sir Donald has been decorated with the highest award in New Zealand (Order of New Zealand) and also by HM The Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, with the Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO).