Rwanda flag to start flying at Commonwealth HQ

Kigali: Rwanda’s flag will join other 53 national flags at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London on Monday next week – as the country finalises its entry into the British block, government announced Wednesday.




President Paul Kagame receives the Commonwealth's flag from SG Kamalesh Sharma on January 21 in Kigali (Photo: Commonwealth Secretariat)

The blue-yellow-green-with star flag means Rwanda in London, from March 08, will be a complete member as the 54th member. In January, the Commonwealth Secretary General was in Rwanda and presented the grouping’s flag in Kigali during his visit.

President Paul Kagame received the Commonwealth's flag from SG Kamalesh Sharma in what was billed as a powerful symbolic entry to the association.

Rwanda was allowed into the Commonwealth in November at the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit in Trinidad and Tobago. Incidentally, the occasion happened on the date as Rwanda and France reconciled.

The flag also follows changes that have already taken effect. For example, Rwanda’s envoys to Commonwealth members and those from the block to Kigali are called High Commissioner. The embassies are now referred to as High Commission.