Suspension from the Commonwealth of Nations is the most serious punishment that can be administered to members of the

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

. In the absence of any mechanism by which to expel countries that breach its rules, the

Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group on the Harare Declaration, abbreviated to CMAG, is a group of representatives of members of the Commonwealth of Nations that is responsible for upholding the Harare Declaration. That Declaration dictates ...

(CMAG) may choose to suspend members from the 'Councils of the Commonwealth', which amounts to the suspension of their formal membership of the organisation, although their participation in activities of the

Commonwealth Family A Commonwealth organisation is an organisation affiliated with the Commonwealth of Nations. This article is a list of such organisations, which include societies, institutions, associations, organisations, funds and charities that support the Com ...

of organisations is not necessarily affected. Four countries have been suspended from the Commonwealth since the inception of the device in 1995: Fiji, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe. Pakistan has been suspended twice, Fiji three times, and Zimbabwe withdrew from the Commonwealth.

List of suspensions

Footnotes

{{Commonwealth of Nations topics Commonwealth of Nations