On Commonwealth Day, Prime Minister David Cameron said:
At a time of unprecedented global challenges, the Commonwealth is more important than ever – bringing together a unique family of 53 nations, spanning every continent, to promote respect and understanding and to uphold our shared democratic values. In the coming year, we should seize on the progress made at the Malta Summit and work together to strengthen the Commonwealth’s contribution to global efforts to tackle challenges including extremism, corruption, and climate change.
It is by being a member of strong networks and international organisations such as the Commonwealth, the UN Security Council, the EU, NATO and G8 that we amplify Britain’s influence in the world. As the only country to belong to all of these organisations, we have a unique opportunity to make our voice heard and our partners value the role we can play in bringing together these different networks, so we all work together to deliver greater security and prosperity for our citizens.