Commonwealth Membership

[GeoMuller]

How and when did Mozambique, a former Portuguese colony, become a member of the British Commonwealth? It is represented by a team at the current Commonwealth Games.

[sandyRoe]

Fairly recently. But why is anybody's guess.

[New Judge]

They joined in 1995 mainly because most of their neighbours were members. It is the only member which was never part of the British Empire.

[jeffa]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nations_membership_criteria

It's not absolutely necessary to have been formerly part of the British Empire, cf Rwanda.

[Khandro]

I think they simply asked to join like many others, apparently there is a huge waiting-list, the Commonwealth is today one great big success story.

[New Judge]

Not judging by the quality of the opening ceremony to the Games it isn't !!!

[jeffa]

When was Rwanda part of the British Empire, NJ?

[sandyRoe]

You'd have thought they'd have looked towards France

[DTCwordfan]

Rwanda, New Judge? Belgian.............

[DTCwordfan]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8384930.stm

[sandyRoe]

Then they won't have looked to France.

[New Judge]

"When was Rwanda part of the British Empire, NJ?"

Never, jeffa, so apologies for the misleading information. My only excuse is that, as with the countries of Eastern Europe, I cannot keep up with all the chopping and changing !!!