Latest content: Small states

Small Commonwealth states have asked the Secretariat to help them tackle the illegal arms trade and implement the Arms Trade Treaty in a more effective way.

It’s not every day I fall back in love in a car park. But it happened while I was filming a short video with several self-confessed carbonphiliacs — including biomimicry guru Janine Benyus and Baroness Patricia Scotland, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

The Government of Singapore has pledged to support the Commonwealth’s sustainable development programme for small and developing states.

Climate change experts focused on exploring practical and economically viable solutions to combat decades of harm to the environment at a two-day conference

Commonwealth’s Regenerative Development to Reverse Climate Change Workshop: Participants will explore cutting-edge technologies and innovations that can reduce carbon and roll back the effects of climate change, while supporting economic development.

Business leaders, trade policymakers and leading global experts gathered at the World Export Development Forum in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo today to share ideas on how to best to navigate the new trading landscape.

The signing of the memorandum of understanding demonstrates real intent to help those with limited access to international trade finance.

One of the world’s leading experts on climate change tells Commonwealth finance ministers that much more money needs to be pumped into tackling the problem.

New research published today by the Commonwealth Secretariat calls for “fundamental changes” to the way the world’s oceans, seas and coastal areas are managed.

Hurricane Matthew threatens to inflict further severe damage on island nations of the Caribbean as it continues its path of destruction, and there is now significant risk that it will cause widespread damage to property and severe disruption in The Bahamas.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, spoke to the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation to express her concern and call for stronger climate action to help build resilience in all Commonwealth regions in the face of growing risk.

Commonwealth members have welcomed the launch of a flagship centre dedicated to boosting support to small states.

Vulnerable small island states and developing countries stand to gain access to billions of dollars of climate finance with the aid of a new Commonwealth initiative.

The Secretary-General has told BBC News that Commonwealth ministers and parliamentarians have asked her to help them respond to the crisis of irregular mass movement of people across the world by coming up with a plan.

Small states need to unite on getting their priorities on the global agenda, members of a Commonwealth working group agreed this week.

Commonwealth climate finance experts will be on the ground within six months, Deputy Secretary-General Deodat Maharaj told Pacific heads of governments this week.

Plans for a first national inquiry into violence in Samoa were discussed by the country’s National Human Rights Institution, the Office of the Ombudsman at this week’s Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers meeting in Apia.

Key industries in some Commonwealth nations could take massive hits if appropriate steps aren’t taken following the UK’s departure from the EU. The forecast over so-called Brexit comes from policy experts’ analysis in two new research papers published by the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Top four Olympic nations judged by population size are Commonwealth countries.

Government officials from eight Caribbean countries preparing for bilateral talks to settle unresolved maritime boundaries are in London this week to exchange best practices and receive technical guidance from the Commonwealth Secretariat.

The Commonwealth will offer strength, stability, solidarity and practical assistance to its member states and in particular will advocate for small and vulnerable economies the Commonwealth Secretary-General pledged yesterday at the CARICOM conference.

Commonwealth ministers and other high-level officials committed to push for a vulnerability index in development financing criteria.

Seychelles’ Minister of Finance, Trade and Blue Economy Jean-Paul Adam drew the Fourth Global Biennial Conference on Small States to an end by calling on all delegates present to be global activists.

Abuzz with impassioned conversations, a breakfast session this morning at the Fourth Global Biennial Conference on Small States heard from young people about their perspectives on development challenges.