ABSTRACT
The Commonwealth is not a federation; there is no central government nor are there any rigid contractual obligations such as those that bind members of the United Nations. All Commonwealth countries accept Queen Elizabeth II as the symbol of the free association of the independent member nations and as such the Head of the Commonwealth. Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings are private and informal and operate by consensus. The Commonwealth, often working alongside observation teams from regional organizations, monitors the preparations for and conduct of parliamentary, presidential or other elections in member countries at the request of national election management bodies or governments. In November 2019 a tripartite mission comprising the heads of the Commonwealth, African Union and Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie visited Cameroon to discuss with stakeholders the ongoing national political and security crisis, and to promote peacebuilding efforts.
