Latest content: Small states

Malta has won the inaugural Commonwealth Award for Excellence in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Implementation, with Namibia and the Bahamas also scooping prizes.

A Commonwealth initiative designed to help small and other vulnerable states access international finances for tackling the effects of climate change, is poised to go global. The proposal to scale the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub from 10 to 39 developing small states and other vulnerable countries was approved at the Commonwealth Symposium on Climate Finance held in Malta.

Fresh alliances are set to flourish under the Commonwealth’s flagship programme for ocean action, known as the Blue Charter. On Thursday, the Commonwealth and Bloomberg Philanthropies co-hosted an intensive partnership forum for ‘champion’ countries that have volunteered to lead action groups tackling ocean issues under the Commonwealth Blue Charter.

Born out of the Commonwealth’s recognition of an SDG implementation deficit, the Commonwealth in collaboration with the Government of Malta and the Small States Centre of Excellence, will host the Commonwealth’s inaugural “Award for Excellence in SDG Implementation” on 26-27 June in Malta.

A Commonwealth publication has revealed that the Citizenship by Investment programme is a vital source of income, accounting for 16 per cent of total government revenues in some countries.

‘Champion’ countries of the Commonwealth Blue Charter - a commitment made by the 53 Commonwealth member states to work together to solve ocean-related problems - are laying the groundwork for joint action and developing robust, innovative strategies to tackle the world’s most pressing ocean issues.

Countries leading action for ocean health and governance in the Commonwealth will meet in London next week to share strategies and firm up plans for action under the Commonwealth Blue Charter. Agreed unanimously by leaders in April 2018, the Commonwealth Blue Charter commits all 53 member countries to work together on solving crucial ocean-related challenges.

To mark World Oceans Day, Head of Oceans and Natural Resources Nicholas Hardman-Mountford shares how the Blue Charter can help spur lasting global change towards sustainable ocean governance.

The Commonwealth and the International Solar Alliance have agreed to work in partnership to promote the development and scaling-up of solar power within member countries common to both organisations

The first Commonwealth forum on sustainable energy opened yesterday in London with a call by the Deputy Secretary-General Arjoon Suddhoo for countries to act collectively on their “passion” to shift to clean energy, while tackling climate change

Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has welcomed reports the government of Brunei Darussalam has placed a full moratorium on the death penalty, inclusive of the Syariah Penal Code Order (SPCO).

Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has re-deployed a Commonwealth Observer Group to observe the referendum in Belize. The referendum was originally scheduled for 10 April, but subsequently postponed to 8 May 2019.

Samoa faced huge flooding in 2018 after torrential rain fell overnight, leaving a trail of destruction, 330 people evacuated and $10 million of infrastructural damage. The lessons learned from this experience made Samoa a suitable location to host the fifth Commonwealth Global Biennial Conference on Small States under the theme ‘Building Resilience Through Disaster Risk Reduction’. The conference brought together officials from 23 small states and 20 development agencies to discuss disaster risk financing solutions.

Commonwealth countries wrapped up two days of deliberations today, with a plan to support micro, small and medium-sized businesses looking to gain a foothold in global markets and supply chains.

A blog by Heather Cover-Kus, Technical Research Officer - Economic Policy and Small States, at the Commonwealth Secretariat

The Commonwealth’s Climate Finance Access Hub aims to more than double the number of advisers deployed to help vulnerable countries unlock funds to tackle climate change.

Pacific youth leaders at the Global Biennial Conference on Small States in Samoa have called for solidarity among young people to urgently address climate change and halt the existential threat to future generations.

A Commonwealth conference to strengthen small states’ access to disaster finance and help build their resilience against external shocks, has started in Samoa today.

Officials from small states have completed specially-designed training aimed at strengthening their skills in disaster risk financing. The two-day session in Samoa on disaster finance and disaster risk management was the first such activity delivered by the Commonwealth in partnership with the World Bank.

Small states in the Commonwealth are ideally placed to benefit from the development of solutions which reduce the devastating impact of natural disasters, according to the Secretary-General Patricia Scotland.