Latest content: Small states

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, has advocated for increased international support for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) at a UN conference in Doha, Qatar this week.

Small island developing states (SIDS) are looking increasingly to renewable energy sources for their energy needs.

Today, the Commonwealth Secretariat and Cambridge University’s Centre for Resilience and Sustainable Development (CRSD) are hosting a collaborative workshop for climate finance experts to examine new tools designed to improve climate finance attractiveness for Commonwealth Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

Following two weeks of extensive negotiations at the UN Climate Change Conference COP27, nearly 200 countries have agreed on a set of key outcomes, including the establishment of a fund to address loss and damage due to climate change.

The Prime Minister of Samoa, Hon. Fiame Naomi Mata’afa has highlighted the Commonwealth’s role as an advocate for small states at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), taking place in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, from 6 to 18 November.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General has welcomed the recently-launched Resilience and Sustainable Facility (RSF) - the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) financing facility aimed at helping low-income and vulnerable middle-income countries build resilience to economic shocks – but said that more work must be done to improve eligibility, requirements, and conditions in accessing this facility for small and vulnerable states.

The two organisations will broaden their existing cooperation to promote the ocean economy, curb plastic pollution, support least-developed countries, bolster the digital economy and boost gender equality.

Blog by Sasha Jattansingh, Commonwealth National Climate Finance Adviser to Antigua and Barbuda and Nadia Spencer-Henry, Debt Manager, Government of Antigua and Barbuda

The Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, the Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland, has applauded the adoption of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent at the 51st Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting this week in Suva, Fiji.

Commonwealth Secretariat secures $10 million in extra funding for Small Island Developing States as Cambridge Collaboration pays dividends.

Today on the margins of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kigali, leaders and ministers met for high-level discussions on how to best strengthen support for the Commonwealth’s 32 Small States.

Blog by Travis Mitchell, Adviser and Head, Economic Policy and Small States

This week the Commonwealth Secretariat held a four-day workshop in the Maldives for grassroots female entrepreneurs to help them leverage digital infrastructure opportunities for E-Commerce and Digital Marketing.

The Commonwealth Secretariat and World Trade Organization (WTO) signed yesterday (11 June) a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen cooperation between the two organizations and to enhance the participation of Commonwealth countries in the multilateral trading system.

Ahead of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12) starting on 12 June 2022, the Commonwealth Small States Office (CSSO) in Geneva organised two virtual workshops to assist small states with their preparations for the ministerial meeting.

Senior government officials, policy makers and industry leaders in the field of data science are gathering in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda this week for an intensive workshop on how to harness data for impactful innovation, while addressing the significant data gaps that Caribbean countries face.

The Government of Saint Lucia is rolling out fresh projects that aim to boost the flow of climate finance into the country, with the support of the Commonwealth and key partners.

Last week, 460 young people from across the Commonwealth participated in the Cambridge Country Consultation workshop that aims to transform the capacity of governments in Commonwealth Small Island Developing States (SIDS), to attract sustainable finance for youth initiatives, protect biodiversity and to contribute to resilient economies.

The Commonwealth family has mobilised to assist the Kingdom of Tonga in its time of need, following a devastating undersea volcanic eruption on 15 January 2022, which generated tsunami waves of up to 15m high.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General has expressed her sincere condolences for the lives lost in the double disaster that has engulfed the Pacific Island kingdom of Tonga, while reaffirming the Commonwealth’s willingness to offer maximum assistance.