Port of Spain (Trinidad), Nov. 29 (ANI): Australia will host the 2011 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). This was decided at the current CHOGM in Trinidad and Tobago.

According to News.com.au, an official announcement in this regard is expected to be made today.

Sri Lanka had been lobbying had to host the 2011 CHOGM, but it is believed it will now host the 2013 meeting.

The biennial summit of CHOGM, which involves 53 leaders from Commonwealth nations, discusses issues relevant largely to the Commonwealth.

The relevance of the summit was questioned last week when a damning report released by the British-based Royal Commonwealth Society suggested that the once-powerful alliance was fading.

However, the importance of this year’s event is far more important as it would be the last major gathering of leaders before the December 7-18 United Nations climate conference in Copenhagen.

Trinidad’s Prime Minister Patrick Manning invited French President Nicholas Sarkozy, United Nations Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon and Danish Prime Minister Lars Rasmussen to the CHOGM discussion table.

Australia has previously hosted the CHOGM twice.

The first CHOGM was held in Singapore in 1971. (ANI)