Prime Minister Patrick Manning opened the Commonwealth People's Forum at Queen's hall, Port of Spain Sunday, telling his audience a large part of the world’s fate could be settled in Port of Spain this week as world leaders gather for the Commonwealth heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).Manning spoke of a "colossal challenge" he is taking on as chairman of CHOGM 2009 and noted that the gathering will be the last opportunity for some of the world’s most influential leaders to meet before the UN climate change conference next month in Copenhagen.
"Our meeting in a few days is the last major gathering of world leaders before the meeting in Copenhagen, about which there is some pessimism regarding any significant result," he said.
"As chair of this CHOGM, Trinidad and Tobago is working assiduously with other nations, in and out of the Commonwealth, to attain a position that is strong enough to advance the process toward a global agreement on this critical matter affecting all of humanity," he added.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy and the host of the Copenhagen climate summit, Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen are attending CHOGM as special guests along with the secretary general of the UN, Ban Ki-Moon.
Manning said the Copenhagen talks come at crucial time as the global economy is still under extreme pressure from the economic crisis.
"The fact that the UN Secretary General...will join us in our deliberations on this issue is an indication of the intensity of our efforts," he said.
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