Polls open across Sri Lanka
Polling is under way in Sri Lanka's presidential election, with a Commonwealth team observing the process in six provinces. The 2019 presidential election is the eighth to be held in Sri Lanka and the first where no sitting president, prime minister or opposition leader is standing.
Event: 10th Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting
Sports ministers from 53 Commonwealth countries will meet in Tokyo, Japan on 23 July 2020 for their 10th biennial summit.
Commonwealth young champion named among Time 100 leaders of tomorrow
Time magazine has named Commonwealth Young Person of the Year Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi among its 100 world rising stars who are shaping the future.
Commonwealth enters new partnership to enhance climate action in small states
The Commonwealth has entered into an innovative partnership with a UN agency to enhance climate action and disaster preparedness via satellite earth observation.
‘We must close gender gap in education,’ Deputy Secretary-General tells Commonwealth Fair gathering
Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Dr Arjoon Suddhoo has said more must be done to address the fact that women account for two-thirds of the world’s illiterate population.
Commonwealth group begins observation of Sri Lankan presidential election
A group deployed by the Commonwealth to observe the presidential election in Sri Lanka has called on stakeholders to demonstrate commitment to a “peaceful, transparent, credible and inclusive” poll.
Blog: How a robust international arbitration framework can boost global trade and economic growth
A robust framework for resolving cross-border commercial disputes can help unlock valuable trade and investment opportunities for Commonwealth countries.
Blog: Access to justice for all is not yet a reality – but there are ways forward
Access to justice for everyone in all communities is an important right and requirement for building fair and peaceful societies – yet this objective has been achieved in few if any nations, and the consequences are damaging for social, economic and political progress and stability.
Tonga receives $500,000 climate readiness grant from Green Climate Fund with Commonwealth support
The Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub has helped Tonga secure a grant to put the country on the path towards low carbon emissions and climate-resilient development. The Green Climate Fund grant will pay for a two-year ‘readiness programme’ preparing Tonga’s National Designated Authority to better engage with the Green Climate Fund and manage activities sponsored by the fund in the country.
Secretary-General hails progress on mangrove action
Secretary-General Patricia Scotland celebrated new in-roads made by Sri Lanka, chair of the Commonwealth’s action group on mangroves, by planting a mangrove plant in the country’s famous Koggala Lagoon.The area is home to 10 out of the 22 true mangrove species found in Sri Lanka, and the site of extensive mangrove restoration efforts involving local communities, businesses and the government.