1989 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

The 1989 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting was the 11th meeting of leaders from Commonwealth nations. It took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 18 October to 24 October 1989. The meeting was hosted by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad.

It was debated imposing sanctions on South Africa. Many countries supported sanctions, but Britain, represented by Foreign Secretary John Major, disagreed. Britain believed sanctions might hurt poor South Africans more than the apartheid government. Tensions rose, and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher issued a rare second statement opposing sanctions, which was unusual for such meetings.

The Langkawi Declaration on the Environment was agreed upon and released at the CHOGM.

References

Category:1980s in Malaysia
Category:Commonwealth of Nations