Latest content: Economic development

In the second of a two-part assessment of the global economic outlooks ahead of the Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting in Washington on 13 October 2025, Dr Thomas Munthali, Head of Economic Policy and Small States at the Commonwealth Secretariat, outlines how member countries can best respond.

A large portion of the Commonwealth’s population, approximately 60 per cent, is currently under 30. With such a young demographic, there is an urgent need to equip them with the skills, especially entrepreneurial skills, to succeed.

Education, particularly open and distance learning, has long been associated with increasing educational access, bridging the digital divide, as well as advancing the social and economic development of countries.

In the first in a two-part assessment of the global economic outlooks ahead of the Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting in Washington on 13 October 2025, Dr Thomas Munthali, Head of Economic Policy and Small States at the Commonwealth Secretariat, sets out the challenge facing member countries.

Commonwealth Central Bank Governors met on 16 September 2025 to address the economic challenges facing the 56 member countries, share their experiences, and explore opportunities for collaboration.

Sri Lanka will begin using the Commonwealth Meridian software next month to manage public debt as part of its economic recovery plan. 

By Dr Mohamed Z M Aazim, Adviser, Debt Management, Commonwealth Secretariat

Government debt is increasing in most Commonwealth countries. In some cases, it is growing faster than the economies that need to support it.

Twenty-nine managers from The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone received hands-on training this month to manage their public debt portfolios using a Commonwealth software.

For many small and vulnerable states across the Commonwealth, from the Caribbean to the Pacific and the low-lying regions of Africa, climate-related loss is a recurring reality.

Twenty IT specialists from nine countries and territories completed a training course last month designed to ensure the smooth running of the Commonwealth debt management software within their jurisdictions.

While debt often carries a negative connotation, when managed well, it allows governments to invest in projects that improve lives and build economic resilience.

With the deadline for countries to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions fast approaching, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, urged business leaders to be ambitious in shaping the future of the planet.

A blog by Collin Zhuawu, Acting Head and Adviser, Multilateral Trade, International Trade Policy Team, Commonwealth Secretariat.

Sierra Leone has implemented Meridian, an advanced Commonwealth Secretariat software, to better manage its public debt portfolio.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, will join Caribbean leaders at the upcoming Caribbean Community (CARICOM) meeting to find solutions to pressing regional challenges, including climate resilience, economic development, and food security.

A blog by Dr. Benjamin Kwasi Addom, Adviser, Agriculture & Fisheries Trade Policy, Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda, Commonwealth Secretariat.

This blog is the third in a series exploring effective approaches to data management. The first blog focused on the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and its implications for Commonwealth countries, while the second examined ‘Building national data infrastructures through a bottom-up approach.’

In this entry, we explore the significance of NAgDI in empowering Commonwealth nations to build shared agricultural data infrastructures, ensuring compliance with global trade regulations while fostering economic resilience and data sovereignty.

The Commonwealth Secretariat and the World Bank’s South Asia Region launched a new partnership to enhance development impact across South Asia. This cooperation will see World Bank officials newly stationed in South Asia and Commonwealth Secretariat officials with extensive experience of the region come together to share knowledge.

Fourteen Commonwealth African countries were trained last week to improve reporting on their human rights obligations, including the protection of basic economic, social and cultural rights for all.