• SmallStates:
• FAQs

FAQs

• Q.What is the definition of a Small State?
• Q.What are the characteristics of a Small State?
• Q.How many countries are classified as Small States by the World Bank and Commonwealth Secretariat?
• Q.Which are the Commonwealth Small States?
• Q.Why do Small States deserve special attention?
• Q.How does the Commonwealth help Small States?
• Q.Who does the Commonwealth work with to help Small States?

Q.

What is the definition of a Small State?

A.

characterised by their vulnerability in the areas of defence and security, environmental disasters, limited human resources, and lack of economic resources. They range in size from micro-states such as St Kitts and Nevis, Nauru, and Tuvalu with less than 50,000 people each, to countries like Botswana, The Gambia and Mauritius.

Countries should be regarded as lying along a continuum, with a number of larger states sharing some or all of the same characteristics. In the Commonwealth, four larger countries - Jamaica, Lesotho, Namibia and Papua New Guinea - are considered to share the same characteristics of smallness and are included in the small states grouping.

Q.

What are the characteristics of a Small State?

A.

The common characteristics shared by most small states include:

• remoteness and insularity
• susceptibility to natural disasters
• limited institutional capacity
• limited diversification
• openness
• access to external capital
• income volatility
• poverty

Q.

How many countries are classified as Small States by the World Bank and Commonwealth Secretariat?

A.

Forty-five countries are classified as Small States according to the World Bank/Commonwealth definition. The Commonwealth has 32 Small States among its 53 members.

Q.

Which are the Commonwealth Small States?

A.

• Antigua & Barbuda
• Bahamas, The
• Barbados
• Belize
• Botswana
• Brunei Darussalam
• Cyprus
• Dominica
• Fiji Islands
• Gambia, The
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Jamaica
• Kiribati
• Lesotho
• Maldives
• Malta
• Mauritius
• Namibia
• Nauru
• Papua New Guinea
• Samoa
• Seychelles
• Solomon Islands
• St Kitts & Nevis
• St Lucia
• St Vincent & the Grenadines
• Swaziland
• Tonga
• Trinidad & Tobago
• Tuvalu
• Vanuatu

Q.

Why do Small States deserve special attention?

A.

The Commonwealth has been a long advocate for Small States with a focus on their vulnerability. Small States share common characteristics and challenges. Their economies tend to be highly dependent on necessary imports; low export diversification and so are highly exposed to external shocks and a number of factors beyond their control such as limited domestic markets and limited capacity to adjust to changing global conditions. Small States have lost many of their trade preferential agreements and are therefore struggling with adjusting their economy to seize economic opportunities in a more globalised world. Further challenges facing many Small States include growing debt burdens; pressure from increasing compliance costs to combat global terrorism; the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS and its impacts; and rising levels of youth unemployment. Small States are also particularly vulnerable to the devastating impacts of global climate change and sea-level rise and are therefore susceptible to natural disasters. Their ability and capacity in disaster-preparedness and post-disaster responses are also limited. Given their vulnerability and limited resources and capabilities, Small States require support from the international community to enable them to develop greater resilience.

Q.

How does the Commonwealth help Small States?

A.

The Commonwealth assigns major importance to the concerns of small states – 60 per cent of total programme expenditure under the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation (CFTC) is disbursed through projects that benefit Small States. The Secretariat provides advocacy, policy advice and technical assistance to its small state members. The Commonwealth continues to advocate the need to tackle small states' vulnerability and encourage the international community to pay attention to their needs. The Commonwealth focuses its efforts towards tackling volatility, vulnerability and natural disasters, assisting in the transition to the changing global trade regime, and strengthening small states' capacity to exploit new opportunities and challenges from globalisation.
 
The Secretariat carries out seminal studies highlighting the challenges of small states such as "A Future for Small States: Overcoming Vulnerability". It has also developed a Commonwealth Vulnerability Index for developing countries. The Secretariat produces a unique, annual report, "Small States Economic Review and Basic Statistics", that draws from the Commonwealth data and the organisation's influential work on Small States' issues.
 
A Commonwealth Ministerial Group on Small States (MGSS) holds regular meetings just before the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

Q.

Who does the Commonwealth work with to help Small States?

A.

The Commonwealth works in partnership with a number of international development, trade, and finance institutions to find pragmatic solutions to the challenges confronting small states.
 
Organisations such as the World Bank; the UN and UNCTAD; the World Trade Organisation (WTO); the International Monetary Fund; African Development Bank; United Nations Development Programme; Asian Development Bank; European Union; Inter-American Development Bank.
 
Other partnerships include regional organisations dealing predominantly with Small States, e.g. the Secretariats of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and the South Pacific Forum (SPF).