London: The Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting that was scheduled to be held in Rwanda in June has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, despite urgings by Australia and Britain that the conference should not be delayed a second time.

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age has obtained a letter sent by Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland to member states on Friday. The secretariat is the overarching body that supports 54 Commonwealth member nations.

The postponement follows a risk assessment conducted by the World Health Organisation in recent weeks which scored the risk of holding the conference a four out of five rating - with five being the highest risk possible.

Baroness Scotland said “the decision had not been taken lightly” but that travel bans and vaccine inequity in light of the pandemic made it necessary.

“We have, with deep regret, and despite the enormous efforts Rwanda has made in preparation for hosting CHOGM efficiently and safely in June 2021, come to the unavoidable conclusion that we are compelled to postpone the CHGOM in Kigali for a second time,” Baroness Scotland wrote.

She said the event would be rescheduled for “when conditions allow for a safe, physical meeting to take place.”

Some member countries had expressed “anxiety and concern” about attending the conference, amid the “prevailing escalation” of the COVID-19 pandemic, “including the imposing of travel restrictions, inadequate access to vaccines and other constraints.”

“Twenty-nine of our member countries had implemented either a partial or full border closure ... countries which have closed their borders have also, in the majority of cases, banned international flights or impose severe restrictions.”

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said: “We look forward to the next CHOGM being held in Kigali, on a new date agreed by the Commonwealth Family.”