Commonwealth of Nations is an organization of 56 member states that are mostly former territories of the British Empire. It operates by intergovernmental consensus of the member states, organized through the Commonwealth Secretariat, and non-governmental organizations, organized through the Commonwealth Foundation.
Member states have no legal obligation to one another. Instead, they are united by language, history, culture, and their shared values of democracy, free speech, human rights, and the rule of law. Every 2 years, member countries meet to discuss issues affecting the Commonwealth of Nations and the broader world at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
All members of the Commonwealth of Nations have an equal voice, regardless of size or economic stature. Some members treat resident citizens of other Commonwealth countries preferentially to citizens of non-Commonwealth countries. Britain and several others, mostly in the Caribbean, grant the right to vote to Commonwealth citizens who reside in those countries. In non-Commonwealth countries where their own country is not represented, Commonwealth citizens may seek consular assistance at the British embassy.
The first member to be admitted without having any link to the British Empire was Mozambique followed by Rwanda in 2009.
Also Read – United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)