I will visit New York from 4 to 6 September to address the United Nations Millennium Summit and for a meeting of the Commonwealth's High Level Review Group.
The Millennium Summit - which I will address on 6 September - will bring together world leaders to discuss the role of the United Nations in the 21st Century. The Summit is an important opportunity for leaders to refocus the United Nations on key contemporary challenges, especially in peacekeeping, arms control, human rights, development and the environment.
Events over the past year in East Timor have highlighted the way the United Nations can help regional resolution of emergent crises. The Summit is a chance for Australia to register, as a founding member of the United Nations, its practical commitment to the ideals of the UN Charter and its support for a relevant, representative, focussed and appropriately-resourced organisation.
I will also participate in a meeting on 5 September of the Commonwealth High Level Review Group, chaired by the President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki. The group was established by Commonwealth Heads of Government at their meeting last year in Durban to review the role and functions of the Commonwealth.
This first meeting of the group at heads of government level will consider how the Commonwealth might better respond to the challenges of the new century. In particular, the group will be looking for ways to reinforce the Commonwealth's established strengths in supporting good governance, responsible economic management, and conflict resolution within member countries. The High Level Review Group will report to the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which Australia will host in Brisbane in 2001.
18 August 2000