More recently, the name has been changed to member in arrears,[1] from the 2007 CHOGM on the recommendation of the Committee on Commonwealth Membership.
The status was created especially for Nauru, which had an exceptionally small population and area.
[4] Nauru was followed by fellow Pacific sovereign state Tuvalu, and then the larger Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Maldives.
These progressively gained full membership, leaving none from September 2000.
However, Nauru fell behind on its subscription payments, and reverted to a special member in July 2005.