Media and Communication FAQs - CHOGM Rwanda 2022

The CHOGM 2022 is planned for the week of June 20-26, 2022.

Delivering a Common Future: Connecting, Innovating, Transforming.

Four forums will be held on the sidelines of CHOGM 2022 namely:

  • Youth Forum – 19-21 June 2022
  • Women’s Forum – 20-21 June 2022
  • People’s Forum – 21-22 June 2022
  • Business Forum – 21-23 June 2022

In addition, other confirmed side events include:

  • Human Rights Biennial conference – 16-17 June 2022
  • Malaria Summit – 23 June 2022
  • Rwanda – Commonwealth Fashion Week – All week

A statement on media arrangements has been sent out, complete with all relevant information.

A comprehensive schedule of significant media events will be released, including the number and composition of media pools to cover them and media access. The media center will have this information available.

Visiting delegations/journalists will be responsible for covering activities that are not part of the official schedule and media opportunities outside of the CHOGM 2022 sites.

Journalists will need to seek a permit to cover venues outside the CHOGM using the IREMBO portal. here

The Kigali Convention Center will host the CHOGM 2022 media center. The media center will be open 24/7 from June 19 to June 26, 2022, to all accredited members of the media.

Workspaces, edit booths, host broadcast feeds, press conference facilities, interview rooms, locations for pieces to camera, and wi-fi and printers will all be available at the media center.

The capacity of the press conference facilities is limited, and reservations will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. Delegations are encouraged to communicate their intentions in advance with the CHOGM 2022 Media and Communications team. Closer to the event, a schedule of formal media briefings and press conferences will be published.

Restricted, escorted media pools will be provided entry to select CHOGM 2022 sites. Full details will be provided by the CHOGM 2022 Media and Communications committee.

Access to these organizations will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis, primarily on regional representation. The CHOGM 2022 Media and Communications team will ensure that all media outlets are covered. The media will not be granted entry to the Heads of Government Retreat due to the nature of the occasion.

Media interested in interviewing a Head of Government, Foreign Minister, or member of a delegation may contact their delegation's Media Liaison Officer or the media agency's information desk. After that, the request will be sent to the proper delegation.

If your Head of Government, Foreign Minister, or spokesman wishes to provide a media briefing, delegations will be able to reserve interview rooms.

Requests for interviews and conference rooms can be submitted at the media center's media information desk. The media information desk will include schedules for interviews and meeting rooms.

Note that the press must seek a permit to cover venues outside of the CHOGM using the IREMBO portal. here

On arrival, citizens of any Commonwealth, Francophonie, or African Union country receive a free 30-day visa.

Other other nationals will be charged a price for visas upon arrival at Kigali International Airport and all land checkpoints.

Click here where you can learn more.

Accredited journalists will be able to join official delegations courtesy to the CHOGM 2022 Media and Communication team.

Before traveling, the media will be requested to share information about the equipment.

Members of the media interested in covering CHOGM 2022 must apply for accreditation via the website www.chogm2022.rw. The registration deadline is Monday, May 23, 2022.

Only one official photographer can be accredited as part of the standard delegation. A videographer from a member country must be certified through the media accreditation site.

The Commonwealth Secretariat is the final authority for all media accreditation for CHOGM 2022, and it works closely with the Host Government.

Delegates who an accredited member of the media accompanies are permitted to attend the media center.

The CHOGM 2022 Media and Communication team will be able to reserve stand-up broadcast slots in the Kigali Convention Center. The spaces will be allocated closer to the event on a first-come, first-served basis. You may reach out to them at media@chogm2022.rw.

The Rwanda Broadcasting Agency is the host broadcaster for CHOGM 2022.

(www.rba.co.rw). They will record media activities related to CHOGM 2022 and make videos available to authorized journalists in the media center.

The Rwandan government has designated three hotels for delegations' official press. Any other media that express an interest will be given a list of approved hotels. It is advised that one secure their reservation as soon as possible.

The official ceremony's media access will be restricted to an accompanied media pool determined by regional representation.

The official photographer snaps the official group 'family' image. However, a photographer pool of 12 journalists represents foreign news agencies, local news agencies, and pool members chosen on a regional basis.

The deadline for accreditation is on Monday, 23rd May, 2022.