Small States

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The Secretariat attaches high priority to supporting the integration of small states in the global economy, building their resilience and competitiveness, and helping them take advantage of the opportunities and meet the challenges arising from globalisation.

Our work in this area includes promoting high-level attention to the particular issues of small states at Commonwealth and other international meetings; providing specific assistance to small states to help them address the problems and challenges they face; and building partnerships with international agencies and mobilising support to implement the small states programme.

The Secretariat’s definition for Small States is countries with a population of 1.5 million or less. These states possess unique special development challenges – limited diversification, limited capacity, poverty, susceptibility to natural disasters and environmental change, remoteness and isolation, openness, and income volatility. The Secretariat’s grouping of Small States also includes the larger member countries of Botswana, Jamaica, Lesotho, Namibia and Papua New Guinea because they share many of the same characteristics of small states.

More about the Commonwealth's work on Small States

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