Nadi, Fiji: The Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting opened in Fiji on Monday with strong calls for sustained action to ensure the rule of law delivers justice, progress and shared prosperity for citizens across the Commonwealth amid growing global uncertainty.
More than 250 delegates, including Sitiveni Rabuka, Feleti Penitala Teo and Viliami Latu, were welcomed to Nadi on February 9, 2026, with a traditional Fijian ceremony marking the start of the high-level gathering.
The meeting brings together justice ministers and attorneys general from the Commonwealth’s 56 member states to deliberate on emerging legal challenges affecting people’s lives, livelihoods and democratic systems.
In his opening address, Prime Minister Rabuka warned that the rule of law is under increasing pressure worldwide, cautioning that its erosion directly harms ordinary citizens.
“When the law is weakened, unevenly applied, or unable to command public confidence, it is not abstract systems that suffer. It is ordinary people—real lives,” Rabuka said. “This meeting is not merely a forum for discussion; it is a working meeting with real-world consequences.”
He urged ministers to ensure justice systems remain credible, inclusive and responsive, adding that laws must serve not only those who understand them best but also those who depend on them most.
Rabuka also highlighted the growing legal implications of climate change, calling on justice systems to act as a shield for both people and the planet as environmental pressures intensify.
Rule of Force Versus Rule of Law
Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey said the meeting comes at a time when many societies are unsettled by political instability, economic volatility and environmental threats.
“This is what happens when the rule of force begins to edge out the rule of law,” Botchwey said. “That is why the work you as law ministers and attorneys general do matters so profoundly.”
She told delegates their deliberations would help strengthen democratic resilience and rebuild trust between institutions and the citizens they serve.
“History will remember not the turbulence of our times, but whether we had the courage to rise above the chaos and build a better world together,” Botchwey said.
The Secretary-General noted that the Commonwealth’s new strategic plan prioritises targeted action to ensure the rule of law is not confined to courtrooms but is felt in everyday life.
Over the three-day meeting, ministers will consider how law shapes democratic participation, economic opportunity and environmental protection. Key agenda items include safeguarding maritime rights as sea levels rise, strengthening access to justice, and the responsible use of technology within legal systems.
The meeting is being chaired by Siromi Turaga, Fiji’s Minister for Justice and Acting Attorney-General, under the theme “Anchoring Justice in a Changing Tide: Strengthening the Rule of Law for a Resilient Future.”
Deliberations are expected to culminate on February 11 with the release of an outcome statement outlining concrete actions Commonwealth countries will take to reinforce the rule of law for the benefit of their citizens.
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