Gabon and Togo join the Commonwealth of Nations

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Two African countries, Togo and Gabon, were inducted into the Commonwealth of Nations as the 55th and 56th members, respectively, at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting held in Rwanda's capital, Kigali, chaired by Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

• Rwanda was the last country to join the Commonwealth in 2009.

• Togo and Gabon were historically French colonies that were never British colonies.

• New members Togo and Gabon

• The formal Commonwealth member process for the Central African nation of Gabon began in 2017 while the process for the West African nation of Togo began in 2014.

• Gabon is surrounded by Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, and the Republic of the Congo, which is also a member of the Commonwealth.

• Togo is bordered by Ghana, a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, as well as by Benin and Burkina Faso.

• About Commonwealth -

• The Rashtramandal, commonly referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political union of previously 54 and now 56 member states.

• It was originally created as the British Commonwealth of Nations through the Balfour Declaration at the royal convention of 1926.

• The current Commonwealth of Nations was formally formed in 1949 by the London Declaration.

• The current head of the Commonwealth is Queen Elizabeth II.

• Secretary General – Patricia Scotland

• Headquarters- London