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.
Anchored in the Building Resilience and Inclusivity in Development, Governance, and Empowerment (BRIDGE) programme, the partnership fosters collaboration for stronger engagement within international organisations, working together for a common cause.
Launching the programme at its first cohort session at Marlborough House in London today, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, said:
“The Commonwealth Secretariat’s extensive involvement in South Asia over the past seventy-five years and our strengthening of democratic institutions and governance mechanisms across varied political landscapes in South Asia, has endowed the Secretariat with a nuanced perspective on navigating complexities in the region. We are very proud of the incredible diversity among our member countries.
“These insights are invaluable for international development organisations striving to align their projects with the governance realities of their host countries – often our member countries. This programme brings together two multilateral organisations, and our collective experience will exponentially accelerate our impact.”
Building bridges
The two teams had co-created BRIDGE to equip programme participants with the knowledge and skills necessary for effective development work in the region, which is diverse and complex.
Martin Raiser, World Bank Vice President for South Asia, said:
“At the World Bank, we strongly believe in the power of bolstering collaboration and strengthening engagement with other multilateral organisations.
“By working together, we are bringing more experience, expertise, and knowledge to the service of our clients. This programme will enhance the capacity of relevant World Bank experts working on South Asia to design and implement development projects that are not only more impactful but also sensitive to the nuances of the local context.”
The Commonwealth Secretariat is an authority on the region's governance, political, and electoral landscapes. India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are among the largest nations in the Commonwealth.
Through its comprehensive work, the Secretariat has not only witnessed but also shaped the evolution of democratic practices, governance frameworks, development projects and peace initiatives across its member countries.
The two-day knowledge-sharing programme will look at the geopolitics in South Asia; human rights and rule of law in South Asia; development in South Asia and global trends; and climate and development in South Asia.
The first cohort included 24 World Bank participants working on eight countries in South Asia, namely Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
Media contact
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Suné Kitshoff Senior Communications Officer, Communications Division, Commonwealth Secretariat
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