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.
The training was delivered by the Commonwealth Secretariat at its headquarters in London from 16 to 20 June 2025. It brought together IT specialists from the ministries of finance and central banks of the British Virgin Islands, Eswatini, Ghana, Kenya, Maldives, Samoa, Seychelles, Solomon Islands and Tanzania.
All nine jurisdictions use the software to manage their public debt with greater accuracy, transparency and efficiency.
The training focused on equipping participants with the technical skills to deploy, configure and maintain the software, known as Commonwealth Meridian. Sessions covered a range of topics from supporting business continuity planning to integrating Meridian within government financial management systems.
Drawing on industry standards, the Secretariat’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) team guided participants through practical system security techniques, such as regular backups, centralised logging, and automated alerts.
Officials praised the training’s hands-on approach, saying it gave them the skills and confidence to fully support the software in their home institutions.
Debt for development
Samuel Billy Hathavu Pezah, Director of the Debt Management Unit at the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, Solomon Islands, said:
“Solomon Islands remains highly vulnerable to economic shocks. To address our development needs, we increasingly rely on financing to invest in critical sectors, such as infrastructure, health, education and agriculture.
“As of 2024, our public debt reached SB$3.3 billion … reflecting a 9 per cent increase from the previous year. This trend highlights the growing importance of effective debt management.”
The training, he added, offered important guidance on transitioning national debt data to Commonwealth Meridian.
Samuel continued:
“This transition is a vital step toward sustainable debt management and stronger long-term economic planning for Solomon Islands.”
Meridian replaces its predecessor, the Commonwealth Secretariat: Debt Recording and Management System (CS-DRMS), which has supported countries in managing their public debt since 1993.
To give participants a broader context, the training also included an overview of how debt officers use Meridian to manage the full debt lifecycle, from recording transactions to tracking repayments and reporting to stakeholders.
Joanne Allin, a Business Analyst at the Commonwealth Secretariat who delivered some sessions, said:
“A debt management system is only as effective as the people behind it.
“By empowering officials to make the most of Meridian, we are helping countries not only manage public debt better but also make data-driven decisions that benefit their people.”
Launched in 2019, Commonwealth Meridian is currently being used by 40 countries around the world.
Media contact
-
Snober Abbasi, Senior Communications Officer, Communications Division, Commonwealth Secretariat
