Latest content: Economic development

The Commonwealth Secretariat hosted the launch of UNCTAD’s The Least Developed Countries Report 2017: Transformational Energy Access yesterday at Marlborough House, London.

Some of the Commonwealth’s poorest members are set to receive additional support related to their transition as they graduate from the UN’s Least Developed Countries (LDC) list of countries.

Ambassadors of Commonwealth countries in Geneva say the Secretariat’s Small States Office gives them a voice on the world stage. 

Racheal Kemigisha is a trade adviser working with the Hub and Spokes programme based in Zambia at the Common Market for Eastern Africa, East African Community (COMESA). Rachael outlines the lessons learnt from negotiations, taking a look at the Tripartite Free Trade Area Agreement.

An expert group of international lawyers specialising in oceans law met at Marlborough House to discuss key legal issues relating to seabed mining in international waters, a frontier industry attracting interest as a result of the increase in global demand for metals.

Forty-four (44) government officials and private sector representatives, including 30 women and 14 men participated in a Trade in Services Workshop held from 26 – 27 September 2017, in Kingston, Jamaica.

In a powerful intervention at the Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting (CFMM) in Washington DC, the prime minister of Saint Lucia called for the rules to be changed so countries affected by natural disasters could access funds more quickly.

The Ministry of Commerce, Industry, and Cooperatives (MCIC) in collaboration with the Kiribati Customs Administration and Enforcement Office organised a three-day training on ROO in Free Trade Agreements (FTA).

The Commonwealth Secretariat and the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) have pledged to work closer together to help billions of people.

At their meeting in Washington yesterday, Commonwealth Central Bank Governors came together to discuss how best they can work with the private sector, including the emerging ‘Fintech’ sector, to realise the opportunities and meet the challenges associated with the rise of Fintech.

Innovation will be at the centre of ways to tackle shared challenges facing Commonwealth countries when finance ministers, central bank governors, and senior finance officials meet this week in Washington DC.

The Nigerian government has praised the Commonwealth’s role in supporting its fight against corruption.

Meridian, the Commonwealth Secretariat’s improved public debt management software, is about to be tested in India by debt managers from member countries ahead of its launch next year.

Deputy Secretary-General Josephine Ojiambo has called for increased collaboration between Commonwealth members to increase trade and investment.

The Commonwealth and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development have strengthened their links after signing a cooperation agreement.

With international trade as a main focus for Commonwealth co-operation, a new publication by the Commonwealth Secretariat explores a range of issues that are coming to the fore in discussions among policy-makers and trade negotiators which is influencing global trade.

A blog by Jeff Ardron, Adviser on Ocean Governance at the Commonwealth.

A handbook to help small and less-developed countries benefit from improved digital trade has been published by the Commonwealth Secretariat.

New opportunities for Jamaica to benefit from emerging markets and Brexit have been set out in two key publication by the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Terrence Simfukwe is a trade adviser seconded to Belize’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade under the Hub and Spokes programme. Prior to his posting in 2016, he was principal economist for foreign trade in Zambia’s Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry. In this blog, Mr Simfukwe outlines Belize’s efforts to develop a national trade policy.

A new National Export Strategy (NES) will see the Caribbean state diversify and increase imports and exports between now and 2021

The Commonwealth is helping Cameroon explore ways to increase the benefits of e-commerce and digital trade as a tool for achieving its national development plan.

Deep beneath the ocean, the seabed holds rich deposits of minerals: gold, silver, cobalt, copper, nickel, zinc, as well as lesser known chemical elements like tellurium - used to make solar panels.

Trade governance structures must be “fit for purpose” to address the changing global landscape and benefit Commonwealth member countries, Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has said.

African, Caribbean and Pacific countries are to benefit from the extension of an innovative aid for trade initiative which embeds trade advisers in national ministries and regional organisations.