The Physical Connectivity Cluster (PCC) is currently intensifying the implementation of leveraging digital infrastructure to address the digital divide across the Commonwealth for trade and investment.
The Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda for Trade and Investment (CCA) is a platform for countries to exchange best practices and experiences to trade and investment and undertake domestic reforms through digitalisation. This cross-fertilisation with digitalisation as an enabler, is expected to contribute to a further reduction in trade frictions among members.
The CCA was established at the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, where Commonwealth leaders committed to the vision of increasing intra-Commonwealth trade to US$2 trillion by 2030, as well as expanding intra-Commonwealth investment.
Clusters
The CCA provides a platform for Commonwealth members to engage on trade and investment with a view to boosting trade and investment across the Commonwealth.
Through a bottom-up, member-led approach, the CCA plays an important role in leveraging the strength of the Commonwealth to support growth, create employment, share best practices and learning, provide capacity-building and promote development among its 56 member countries.
This is achieved through the work of five interconnected member-led CCA clusters (or working groups) on business-to-business, digital, physical, regulatory and supply-side connectivity, alongside a commitment to mainstreaming inclusive and sustainable trade.
In engaging in these areas, member countries will mainstream inclusive and sustainable trade as a cross-cutting issue.
The Digital Connectivity Cluster (DCC) currently focuses on supporting digital transformation and the development of national digital economies to enable member countries to take advantage of the opportunities presented by digital trade.
The Regulatory Connectivity Cluster (RCC) focuses on advancing regulatory connectivity and coherence in relation to digital trade.
The Supply Side Connectivity Cluster (SSCC) currently focuses on digital agriculture and digital fisheries and applies lessons from the other four Clusters within agriculture and fisheries sectors as a use case of digital trade in agriculture and fisheries.
The Business-to-Business Connectivity Cluster (B2B) is currently developing the business case for paperless trade and private sector exchanges to enable digital trade across the Commonwealth.
Explore the B2B Connectivity cluster
Connectivity Agenda Action Plan
Download the Connectivity Agenda Action Plan
The Connectivity Agenda Action Plan contextualises and operationalises the work of the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda.
It gives practical expression to the Agenda by translating the Declaration on the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda for Trade and Investment made by Commonwealth Heads of Government in April 2018 into ambitions, outputs and specific activities for action.
These actions are being delivered through three channels:
Convening
- Providing and engaging in multi-stakeholder dialogues through an open, multisectoral and platformed approach to Technical Working Groups.
- Delivering Commonwealth Trade Ministers and Senior Trade Officials Meetings.
Equipping
- Developing evidence and tools for policy making through Secretariat-written technical papers submitted to each cluster meeting to support deliberations.
- Develop reports, private and public sector surveys and policy tools for submission and endorsement by clusters as well as case studies written by government policymakers for other government policymakers.
Advising
- Taking actions to advance digital transformation through advisory services to regions to support policymaking and regulatory reform.
- Providing institutional capacity-building for policymakers and other stakeholders as well as facilitating cross-regional policy exchanges.
Connectivity Dashboard
Connectivity Grants Programme
The Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda’s Cross-Regional Connectivity Grants Programme supports Commonwealth member states in undertaking cross-regional peer-to-peer learning activities aimed at enhancing their knowledge, building their capacity, and growing their expertise to facilitate greater trade and investment.
Learn more
Knowledge products and resources
The CCA has developed a series of knowledge products and resources to inform member states and provide topical guidance on emerging areas of trade and investment, particularly on various areas of the digital economy, including digital policies and regulations, digital agriculture, digital fisheries, digital industrial policymaking and paperless trade.
Repository of digital policies and regulations
The CCA has created an online repository of digital policies and regulations that covers all Commonwealth countries and contains information on individual policies and regulations in specific countries.
The repository is intended to provide a frame of reference for Commonwealth members wanting to devise and implement appropriate policies to support digital transformation, create an enabling environment for digital trade, and harness the benefits of digital transformation.
