The State of the Commonwealth Report 2026: Resilience through Diversity

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Executive Summary

Conflict, economic insecurity and climate change are testing every country. For millions, the hope of a better future is moving further out of reach. No country can meet these challenges alone. Co-operation, founded on shared values and collective interest, is vital for building the resilience and the prosperity our people expect.

This report sets out a shared agenda for resilience and prosperity through stronger democracies that build trust, economies that protect livelihoods and create opportunity, and a healthy environment that sustains our communities."

The Hon. Shirley Botchwey, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth

The Commonwealth is entering a decisive decade. Conflict is increasing, geopolitical competition is intensifying, the global economy is fragmenting and the international institutions designed to manage shared problems are under growing strain. At the same time, rapid technological change and mounting environmental pressures are transforming economies and societies. Simply responding to crises as they arise keeps governments on the defensive. If they are to thrive in a world in flux, Commonwealth countries need the resilience to anticipate change, withstand shocks, adapt successfully and seize new opportunities.

Countries differ greatly in their capacity to respond to these pressures. Those with more limited financial resources often have less room to absorb shocks and adapt; meanwhile, inequalities within countries shape who is able to cope and recover. An effective response requires strengthening three inter-related dimensions of resilience at the same time: economic, democratic and environmental. Strong economies provide the resources countries need to prepare and adapt, strong institutions support better decisions and healthy natural systems protect livelihoods and prosperity.

In building this resilience, the Commonwealth has a significant comparative advantage. Its 56 member countries combine extraordinary diversity with common goals, shared commitments and commonalities in language, culture and related legal and institutional traditions. These common foundations, reinforced by strong professional, civil society and people-to-people networks, make co-operation and the exchange of experiences easier.

Meanwhile, and crucially, differences in resources do not imply differences in the quality of ideas or experience. Smaller and more vulnerable states have pioneered important approaches to climate adaptation, ocean governance and managing vulnerability, just as larger members possess financial, technological and diplomatic capabilities that can benefit others. Commonwealth countries also face similar challenges from very different starting points, bringing a wide range of ideas, innovations and experience to bear.

This combination of diversity and common ground is particularly valuable in a fragmented world. The Commonwealth can act as a bridge, enabling ideas and expertise to travel in all directions while connecting regions and income groups and spanning traditional North–South divides.

Diversity within countries is equally important. Reflecting the emphasis in the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Strategic Plan 2025–2030 on gender equality and youth inclusion as cross-cutting priorities, evidence reviewed in this report shows that more inclusive societies are more resilient. Democratic resilience is strengthened when women, young people, people living with disabilities, minorities and other under-represented groups participate meaningfully in political life, which reduces grievances and increases legitimacy. Economic resilience is heightened when barriers to education, employment, finance and technology are reduced, enabling countries to make fuller use of their human capital. Environmental resilience is enhanced by drawing on the knowledge and leadership of women, young people, Indigenous Peoples and local communities in adaptation and natural resource management. Genuine inclusion therefore strengthens the institutions, capabilities and knowledge on which resilience depends.

Democratic resilience

Democracy is becoming harder to sustain. Authoritarian rule is spreading, while authoritarian states are increasingly working together to weaken or reshape the international institutions and norms designed to protect democracy, human rights and the rule of law. At the same time, some established democracies are seeing growing pressure on constitutional safeguards, checks and balances, and civic freedoms. Economic insecurity, corruption, declining trust and new digital threats add to these challenges.

Overall, Commonwealth countries have proved more resilient than global trends might suggest, even if experiences vary considerably between countries and regions. Important weaknesses remain, however, particularly around political inclusion: women, young people and other marginalised groups are still poorly represented. Strengthening democratic resilience is therefore critical not only to protecting rights and freedoms but also to long-term stability and prosperity.

Commonwealth countries are already responding to the context in ways that provide a solid foundation for further action. Countries are strengthening electoral, parliamentary and oversight institutions, improving public services and government accountability, developing responses to digital threats and widening opportunities for political participation.

These national efforts are supported by the wider Commonwealth family. Commonwealth election observation teams, the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) and the Secretary-General’s Good Offices sit alongside networks of parliamentarians, judges, election officials, civil servants, professional bodies and civil society organisations. Together, these efforts show that democratic resilience depends not on any single reform but on strong institutions, effective and accountable government, meaningful participation and the ability to adapt to new challenges.

The report identifies six opportunities to build on these foundations.

1. Enhance Commonwealth co-operation on political inclusion. Greater participation by women, young people, people living with disabilities and minority groups can bring wider skills and perspectives into decision-making, help institutions respond better to citizens’ needs and reduce grievances and the risk of conflict. Commonwealth member countries can share diverse approaches to achieving meaningful inclusion in different contexts.
2. Build a democratic learning network. Stronger connections between countries and institutions facing similar challenges can make it possible to share successful reforms and innovations and adapt them to different contexts.
3. Pool capability for digital democracy. Shared expertise can expand access to scarce capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, election security, online campaigning, data protection and disinformation. This is particularly valuable where individual countries cannot maintain such capacity alone.
4. Strengthen democratic institutions through professional networks. Deeper links between election officials, judges, legislators, auditors, anti-corruption bodies and public servants can support institutional reform and connect election observation more strongly to support across the electoral cycle.
5. Connect prevention to democratic recovery. Closer connections between early warning, the Secretary-General’s Good Offices, CMAG and sustained institutional support can strengthen both the prevention of democratic erosion and institutional recovery where erosion has occurred.

6. Foster international coalitions for democracy. The Commonwealth’s global reach provides opportunities to build wider support for election integrity, civic space, media freedom, human rights and the rule of law through international and regional organisations.

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Economic resilience

It is becoming increasingly challenging to navigate the global economy. Slower growth, rising debt and borrowing costs, geopolitical competition, the advance of AI and the green transition are disrupting established patterns of trade, investment, finance and growth. At the same time, the development model is changing. Development assistance is declining sharply, leaving traditional donor–recipient relationships less able to meet the scale and range of challenges countries face. Trade, investment, technology, domestic resources, South–South co-operation and new forms of development finance are consequently becoming more important. These changes create opportunities, but they are unevenly distributed and can lead to new dependencies.

Economic resilience therefore means building the financial room, skills, infrastructure and diverse economic relationships needed to not simply withstand shocks but also adapt and prosper as the world changes. Inclusion is central: barriers to education, finance, technology and productive work prevent economies from making full use of their human resources, including women, youth and people living with disabilities. Domestic reform can also only go so far when borrowing costs, access to finance and technology, and international economic rules are shaped by systems over which many countries have limited influence.

Commonwealth countries are already adapting in different ways. Governments are strengthening public finances and debt management while seeking new sources of investment and development finance. They are investing in skills, digital infrastructure and wider access to economic opportunities, while making climate and energy resilience a greater part of economic planning. Countries are also pioneering the use of innovative approaches in areas ranging from digital public infrastructure and mobile finance to climate-resilient debt arrangements, renewable energy and the blue economy. Here, their different strengths are often complementary. Growing economies offer expanding markets and workforces, ageing economies possess capital and technology but need skills and productivity gains, and resource-rich members have assets central to the green transition.

Smaller states may have fewer financial and administrative resources but often possess valuable experience and innovative approaches to managing vulnerability. This creates an opportunity for more reciprocal forms of co-operation, connecting capital, technology, markets, resources and expertise while enabling experience to travel in all directions.

The report identifies four opportunities for Commonwealth co-operation to strengthen economic resilience.

1. Build stronger and more inclusive economic partnerships. Greater and more diverse trade and investment can reduce excessive dependence and widen opportunities across the Commonwealth. Inclusion within countries is equally important: reducing the barriers facing women, young people, people living with disabilities and other excluded groups can expand entrepreneurship, labour force participation and productivity, enabling economies to make fuller use of their human and economic potential.
2. Reform and diversify development finance. Pooled expertise on debt and finance can be combined with the Commonwealth’s international influence to support fairer access to affordable finance, more effective debt restructuring and financing rules that better recognise the needs and vulnerabilities of small and developing states.
3. Turn Commonwealth experience into a shared resource. Stronger connections between governments, institutions and innovators can help member countries identify, adapt and apply successful approaches developed elsewhere in the Commonwealth.

4. Build green and digital partnerships. Partnerships can connect capital, technology and expertise with growing markets, critical minerals and other resources, helping more member countries develop the skills, businesses and jobs needed to capture the benefits of the green and digital transitions rather than becoming dependent on technologies and industries developed elsewhere.

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Environmental resilience

Environmental pressures are becoming harder to contain. Climate change is bringing more severe heatwaves, storms, floods and droughts. At the same time, sea-level rise, biodiversity loss, pollution and damage to ecosystems are weakening the natural systems on which societies depend. These pressures reinforce one another and create compound risks that increasingly threaten food and water security, livelihoods, infrastructure, public finances and long-term economic growth.

Countries differ greatly in their capacity to respond. Many of the countries that are facing the greatest environmental risks have the least fiscal space and the weakest access to affordable finance and technology. Within countries, poorer and marginalised communities are often the most vulnerable and have the fewest resources to adapt.

Environmental resilience therefore involves protecting and restoring natural systems, adapting infrastructure and economies, and investing before shocks occur. It also requires international systems that better recognise vulnerability when determining access to finance and other resources.

Commonwealth countries are already making this shift in different ways. They are bringing adaptation into development planning, investing in climate-proof infrastructure and disaster preparedness, restoring ecosystems, supporting cleaner energy and strengthening the institutions and data needed to turn plans into action. Small island states have been particularly innovative, developing approaches that combine early warning, local knowledge, resilient infrastructure and new forms of climate diplomacy and finance.

Indigenous Peoples and local communities hold knowledge that can strengthen environmental stewardship. Women and youth are agents of resilience, driving innovation for adaptation and sustainable livelihoods. Wealthier member countries bring different financial, technological and institutional capabilities. Existing initiatives, including the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub (CCFAH), the Commonwealth Living Lands Charter (CLLC) and the Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration, demonstrate the potential to connect these different forms of experience and expertise.

The report identifies five opportunities for Commonwealth co-operation to enhance environmental resilience.

1. Accelerate adaptation through shared experience. Greater exchange of approaches to climate-proofing, disaster preparedness, early warning and ecosystem restoration can enable successful solutions to travel more quickly between countries, supported by shared tools, data and technical expertise.
2. Increase climate finance access for adaptation. Adaptation capacity depends on access to affordable finance. CCFAH provides a foundation, but it could be strengthened by expanding access to grants and concessional finance for highly vulnerable states and by exploring debt-for-nature swaps to prevent vulnerable states from becoming trapped in cycles of debt-financed adaptation.
3. Co-ordinate inclusive natural resource governance. The CLLC supports the pursuit of global land management targets. Commonwealth co-operation could build on this by promoting adaptive governance that draws on the knowledge, leadership and experience of women, young people, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, while ensuring meaningful participation in decision-making and benefit-sharing.
4. Build partnerships on oceans, food and water security. Existing Commonwealth connections provide a basis for stronger co-operation around shared oceans, river basins and food systems, reducing risks that individual countries cannot manage alone.

5. Leverage Commonwealth influence globally. The Commonwealth brings together some of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries with member countries that possess significant international influence. This creates opportunities to translate the leadership, experience and priorities of vulnerable states into broader coalitions on climate finance, loss and damage, ocean governance and other international environmental rules.

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Turning Commonwealth strengths into greater resilience

The reforms required across the domains of democracy, the economy and the environment are necessarily different, reflecting the varied challenges, needs and capabilities of Commonwealth member countries. Taken together, this report’s findings and recommendations highlight three interconnected levels at which resilience can be built.

• Within countries, stronger institutions and capabilities are needed to anticipate, absorb and adapt to change.
• Between countries, multidirectional learning can spread ideas, pool expertise and connect complementary resources.
• Through the international system, wider coalitions can help secure reforms that individual countries cannot achieve alone.

Progress at only one or two of these levels will leave important vulnerabilities unresolved. Strong national institutions can still be constrained by weak cross-border co-operation or an unsupportive international environment, while international reform will have limited impact if capacity to take advantage of it does not exist at the domestic level. The greatest gains come from strengthening all three levels together, so that improvements at one reinforce progress at the others.

Five broader strategies can help the Commonwealth generate these mutually reinforcing gains.

1. Turn diversity into multidirectional learning and resilience partnerships. Sustained partnerships can connect member countries facing similar challenges with those possessing complementary experience, resources and capabilities. This can connect the ideas, innovation and experience found across the Commonwealth with the different resources and capabilities needed to put them into practice at scale.
2. Strengthen networks, pool capabilities and improve implementation. The wider Commonwealth family includes civil society, universities, professional associations, businesses and public institutions. Connecting and pooling these resources can provide capabilities that individual governments may struggle to maintain alone and help translate commitments into implementation. It can also draw more fully on the knowledge and experience of women, young people, people living with disabilities, minorities and other under-represented groups.
3. Harness inclusion as a source of resilience. Commonwealth networks and programmes can help member countries identify and adapt effective approaches to removing barriers facing women, young people, people living with disabilities, minorities and other under-represented groups. Doing so would draw more fully on their skills, experience and perspectives; widen participation and leadership; and strengthen governance, economic performance and environmental resilience.
4. Anticipate and adapt to change. Shared foresight and resilience assessments can identify emerging risks and opportunities earlier, build expertise around challenges affecting many member countries and strengthen the Commonwealth’s collective capacity to navigate technological, demographic, economic and environmental change.
5. Bridge divides to build coalitions for international reform. Many of the inequalities that weaken resilience cannot be addressed within individual countries because access to finance and technology, borrowing costs, trade rules and responses to climate change are shaped internationally. The Commonwealth’s distinctive strength is its ability to bridge these divides. By bringing together different forms of expertise, networks and international influence, and spanning both regions and traditional North–South divides, it can turn members countries’ priorities into practical proposals, building wider coalitions for reform.

The Commonwealth’s future relevance will depend on its ability to translate its advantages into tangible results. Its distinctive value lies in enabling countries with different needs, resources and experience to achieve more together than they can alone. Greater co-operation can also reinforce the Commonwealth’s own strengths. Deeper networks create new capabilities, successful partnerships make further co-operation easier and effective coalitions increase collective influence. In a more fragmented and unequal world, the Commonwealth’s ability to act as a bridge may become more important, not less. Strengthening resilience can therefore strengthen the Commonwealth itself, creating an association better equipped to help its members navigate change, seize new opportunities and shape a fairer and more resilient world.