Latest content: Economic development

Following the resumption of normal activity post-COVID, small states have been on a path to economic recovery, largely sustained by a rebound in tourism, which in many small states has reached pre-pandemic levels. However, ongoing shocks – ranging from geopolitical to climatic – have marred this recovery. As such, small states are projected to grow at 3.3 per cent in 2025, a contraction from the 3.7 per cent growth in 2024, as a result of persistent economic challenges.

The combination of socio-economic shocks over the past few years has also affected socio-economic progress in small states. Geopolitical tensions in Europe and supply chain disruptions have had impacts on food security, given the reliance of small states on food imports. This has worsened progress on poverty indicators.

Climate change shocks continue to affect socio-economic progress in the health and education sectors, by damaging social infrastructure, affecting school attendance and promoting the spread of communicable diseases.

Advancements in blockchain and distributed ledger technology have had a revolutionary impact across many sectors, particularly finance. With these technologies likely to play ever more prominent roles in our economies, this Model Law for Virtual Assets provides Commonwealth member countries with a regulatory framework that will give much-needed legislative clarity to financial markets and vital protection to customers.

Data could be the conduit for boosting intra-Commonwealth trade and investment as enshrined in the ‘Declaration on the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda for Trade and Investment’. The sharing of data according to the Open Data Institute (ODI), can create social and economic value for people, organisations, and the wider economy. Ensuring data sovereignty including maintaining a secure, trusted data environment, governments have an important role to play in laying the foundations for a flourishing data-driven economy by pursuing policies that improve the flow of data and ensuring that companies who want to innovate have appropriate access to high-quality and well-maintained data.

Ghana is well positioned to tap into the potential of digitalisation across its agriculture sector. A multi-stakeholder dialogue with representatives from the sector, including digital agricultural services providers, confirmed that numerous organisations were already engaged in agricultural data management. Participants identified and shared experiences of several well-established systems and platforms for data management already operational in the country. However, they also described fragmented databases, an unwillingness to share data, operational inefficiencies, data collection fatigue, unsuited policies based on unreliable data and a data power imbalance.

The Youth Development Index (YDI) is a resource for researchers, policy-makers and civil society, including young people, to track progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) associated with youth development.

This toolkit offers practical guidance on how to implement gender-responsive practices in marine conservation, fisheries, maritime transportation and tourism, in order to empower women and gender minorities and unlock the full potential of sustainable blue economies. Based on research and stakeholder consultations, and designed to provide clear guidance on meaningfully integrating gender perspectives into ocean policies and practices through practical guidance and best practices, the toolkit should serve as a valuable resource for it is an invaluable resource for policymakers, organisations and individuals dedicated to advancing gender equity in ocean sectors.

This report presents policy recommendations for how Kenya can further enhance investment in the country by its growing and diverse diaspora. Presenting a thorough review of the Kenyan and global evidence, and informed by extensive stakeholder consultations, it proposes policy recommendations for addressing the challenges to greater investment by – and raising awareness and engagement among – the Kenyan diaspora that could deliver substantial contributions to national development. 

As an island nation, Antigua and Barbuda is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and, despite recent classification as a middle-income country, pockets of poverty heighten this risk for some parts of society. Recognising this challenge, the Sustainable Island Resource Framework (SIRF) Fund was established in 2019 as a financial vehicle to deliver climate and environment-related projects and programmes both domestically and across the Eastern Caribbean.