It was held in Valletta, Malta, between 25 and 27 November 2005, and hosted by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi.

[1] Nonetheless, the event passed smoothly, marked by the visit of both Queen Elizabeth II, Head of the Commonwealth, and the British aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious.

The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) put much emphasis on the position held by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, and overcame opposition from Pakistan to declare that his holding the two positions of President and Chief of Army Staff were "incompatible with the basic principles of democracy and the spirit of the Harare Commonwealth principles" and that "until the two offices are separated, the process of democratization will not be irreversible".

[1] Of note to commentators and the media was the non-discussion of Uganda,[1] where opposition leader Kizza Besigye was arrested days before the CHOGM, and two months before the country's first multiparty elections since Yoweri Museveni took power in 1986.

[1] CMAG membership rotated once again, with Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Saint Lucia, and the United Kingdom joining it, as the Bahamas, India, Samoa, and Nigeria left.