The Commonwealth conference in Rwanda is due to begin

Delegates to the Commonwealth Summit, which is being hosted by Rwanda this year, will begin working later on Monday in a series of opening forums.

Under the theme "Delivering a Common Future," the week-long summit is expected to draw approximately 5,000 delegates from government, business, and civil society.

On Thursday, foreign ministers from the 54 Commonwealth countries will gather, followed two days later by the heads of government summit.

With 60 percent of the Commonwealth's population under the age of 30, this year's summit will focus on climate change, economic development, and opportunities for young people.

The summit is generally conducted every two years, however, because of the Covid epidemic, it was postponed until 2020.

Because of its human rights record, Rwanda's selection as a host has sparked some debate.

The Commonwealth is a group of countries that, for the most part, were historically ruled by the United Kingdom; however, certain countries, such as Rwanda and Mozambique, have chosen to join.