Participants will examine how technology can contribute to more inclusive, transparent and credible elections across the Commonwealth.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma said today that he is extremely concerned by the further stalling of the democratic process in Maldives, following the stopping this morning of the scheduled 19 October presidential election.
The Observer Group wishes to clarify that at no stage did the Commonwealth Observer Group or any of its members give advice to the Maldives Police Service regarding its decision to take action to prevent the 19 October Presidential election from taking place.
A number of small-island and developing member countries face serious obstacles to managing and securing the benefits that may be associated with the management of ocean space, including the development of potentially lucrative marine resources.
The Pacific islands region has approximately 48 shared boundaries where maritime entitlements overlap as a matter of international law.
As part of the Commonwealth’s continuing observation of the Maldives presidential electoral process, a Commonwealth Observer Group is in the country for the 19 October election.
Regional and pan-Commonwealth winners receive £14,000 grant between them
The Commonwealth proposal includes the need for integration of resilience building of small states, provision of grace periods for debt repayment during times of natural disasters or other external shocks and provision of countercyclical loans.
A publication that explores how tourism can facilitate growth, create jobs and improve livelihoods in small island developing states was launched in Washington DC on 12 October 2013.
The Commonwealth Secretariat and South Africa's National Treasury on 9 October 2013 signed a memorandum of understanding to boost the debt management capacity of member states.