Cyprus and the Commonwealth: 1961-2021

The Republic of Cyprus (RoC) became the 12th member to join the Commonwealth on 13 March 1961. The smallest member of the Commonwealth at the time was New Zealand with a population of 2.5 million. The Federation of Malaya (6.3 million), Ghana (6.7 million), and Ceylon (9.2 million) were the only other members with fewer than 10 million inhabitants. The newly independent RoC, with a population of 572,000 was comparatively extremely small, and its Constitution provided for rights of guarantee to two non-Commonwealth countries, i.e., Greece and Turkey. Did the Commonwealth even want such a state to become a member? In 2021, with the Commonwealth comprising 54 members, out of which 32 members are classified as small states, and with some members having no links to the former British Empire, or even other Commonwealth members, the RoC seems like a perfect fit. However, admitting a small state was an extremely controversial question when the RoC applied for membership. The entry of the RoC as a Commonwealth member in March 1961 was accordingly a landmark in the history of the organisation, as the RoC was the first small state to join the Commonwealth. Furthermore, although a number of Commonwealth members had adopted republican constitutions in the years following their independence, the RoC was the first member to achieve independence and join the Commonwealth as a republic. The current majority of Commonwealth members are republics. The accession of the RoC was at the time controversial. Senior government officials in London questioned whether it was in Britain’s interests, and doubts were expressed by some other Commonwealth members. Many of those in the RoC who had fought for independence were reluctant to see their country join an organisation so closely associated with the British Empire. Yet the RoC has since established itself as an active and enthusiastic member. It hosted the 1993 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Limassol and simultaneously the first meeting of the Ministerial Group of Small States. Its Foreign Minister has chaired the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group, and parliamentary and governmental officials regularly participate actively in all Commonwealth meetings. Despite the above, research output regarding RoC-Commonwealth relations has so far been rather limited compared to other Commonwealth countries. This special issue seeks to present original contributions exploring how the RoC has both shaped and been shaped by the Commonwealth, and at the same time to establish a framework for further research on the subject matter. These contributions originated from a conference held in Nicosia, Cyprus, on May 20–21, 2021. The Conference was organised by the University of Nicosia, School of Law, and the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, School of Advanced