Commonwealth News: February-March 2010

Top Stories:

Sharma: Science and technology should ‘serve’ society

• In his statement for Commonwealth Day on 8 March 2010, Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma called for a public debate on the possibilities of science and technology in solving human and environmental challenges.

Commonwealth needs ‘bold reform and greater investment’, urges RCS

• The Royal Commonwealth Society unveiled the final report of its eight-month ‘Commonwealth Conversation’ consultation with a warning that the 54-member association risks being “marginalised” in global affairs.

Secretariat will do ‘all in its power to partner’ on human rights

• Commonwealth governments, institutions and NGOs must strive together to “uphold the values we espouse,” insisted Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma in a major speech to the UN Human Rights Council.

Global celebrations mark Commonwealth Week

• Commonwealth Week kicked off on 8 March 2010 with leaders around the world praising the 2010 theme of ‘Science, Technology and Society’. Nigeria’s Acting President said it was “most apt” given the role science and technology plays in improving lives.

Queen seizes on internet gap in Commonwealth Day message

• In her annual Commonwealth Day address, Queen Elizabeth II, head of the Commonwealth, cautioned that the internet “remains an unaffordable option for too many of our Commonwealth citizens”.

Press conference: Sharma welcomes Rwanda to Commonwealth

• "The Commonwealth can benefit Rwanda, but so too of course can Rwanda benefit the Commonwealth,” insisted Secretary-General Sharma during his Commonwealth Day press conference with Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Patrick Manning.

Brian Lara and Dwight Yorke meet schoolchildren for Commonwealth Day

• Sporting icons from Trinidad and Tobago held cricket and soccer clinics in England before joining Prime Minister Patrick Manning and Nigerian footballer Kanu at Marlborough House.

News from the Commonwealth Secretariat:

‘Radical change’ needed in policy support for women - Sharma

• In his statement for International Women’s Day, Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma warned that “millions of women and girls” do not yet benefit from development in Commonwealth countries.
  

World trade chiefs meet Commonwealth Secretary-General in Geneva

• World Trade Organisation Director-General, Pascal Lamy, and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Secretary-General, Dr Supachai Panitchpakdi, met Kamalesh Sharma in Geneva.

Commonwealth democracy has moved ‘from rhetoric to reality’, says political chief

• A dozen countries have moved from one-party or military rule to multi-party democracy since 1991, claimed Commonwealth Secretariat chief political adviser Amitav Banerji in a major speech.

Women’s ministers should shape development agenda, says gender chief

• A “new paradigm” for financing development is needed in the wake of the global financial crisis, the Commonwealth Secretariat’s acting gender chief told ministers and senior officials responsible for women’s affairs in New York.

Barbados on track to host Commonwealth women’s meeting

• “Significant progress” has been made to ensure that the Ninth Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting in Barbados next June is a success, the summit’s main organiser has claimed.

Washing machine wars: Trade agreements not helping poor women, study claims

• New research has cast doubt on the theory that cheap imports reduce poverty. The study from the Commonwealth Secretariat claims that poor and vulnerable groups are unlikely to benefit from Economic Partnership Agreements between the EU and developing countries.

International Award Association and Youth Programme affirm partnership

• The International Award Association and Commonwealth Secretariat formalised their joint work with the signing of a memorandum of understanding. “We need our young people to help shape the future,” insisted Deputy Secretary-General Masire-Mwamba.

Fair treatment for migrant teachers – new comparability table opens door

• Thousands of migrant teachers around the world are prevented from teaching because national agencies fail to recognise their qualifications. Now a new comparability table backed by UNESCO is set to address the problem.

Universal Periodic Review of human rights mid-term review

• Submissions to the UPR are exercise in honest, self-assessment, says Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General Masire-Mwamba at a mid-term review workshop in London.

Building culture of democracy is surest way to achieve stability – Sharma

• Kamalesh Sharma defended the Commonwealth Secretariat’s work in supporting election commissions, human rights commissions, youth councils, media regulatory bodies and parliaments at a ‘fragile states’ conference in London.

New natural fibres forum to put an end to ‘under-used’ coconuts

• A proposed network to share skills and expertise among small-scale natural fibre producers, suppliers and craftspeople would help countries make use of discarded raw materials and boost income for small-scale artisans, it has been claimed.

Sri Lanka election: ‘Challenges in the pre-election period,’ says expert team

• On polling day voters were “free to express their will,” but the Sri Lankan presidential election “did not fully meet key benchmarks for democratic elections,” according to observers.

• The final verdict from the Commonwealth Expert Team in St Kitts and Nevis found that voting and counting during the general election were conducted well.

Sharma expresses concern for Cyclone-hit Tonga and Cook Islands

• Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma welcomed rapid assistance provided by neighbouring countries to those affected by Cyclone Rene.

Malaysia turns up heat on implementing public private partnerships

• Partnerships between the private and public sectors in Malaysia will boost “hospital projects, health clinics and nursing colleges,” claims a senior health official following a workshop with audit and banking experts.

Swazi officials analyse challenges of local government reforms

• Senior policy-makers from the Kingdom of Swaziland met to discuss the significant challenges in implementing local government reforms.

News from Commonwealth organisations:

Princess Royal: Engineers 'have role' in rebuilding lives affected by natural disaster

• The Commonwealth Engineers Council convened an 'Engineering a Better World' conference in London, United Kingdom, to improve co-ordination efforts during humanitarian emergencies.

Commonwealth Writers' Prize finalists announced

• The winners for best book and best first book from seven countries across four regions have been announced. They will now go through to the final stage in April.

New human rights grants initiative for British overseas territories

• A new “challenge fund” has been unveiled by the Commonwealth Foundation to encourage civil society organisations to engage with human rights issues by building the capacity of their members.

Media’s role in Zimbabwe’s transition comes under the spotlight

• Firsthand accounts of press freedom in Zimbabwe under the new power sharing government were aired at a Commonwealth Media Group debate with the BBC at the Royal Commonwealth Society in London.

Commonwealth local government ministers meet in Botswana

• Southern African local government ministers gathered in Botswana at a meeting hosted by the Commonwealth Local Government Forum.

Commonwealth Foundation calls for papers for new citizens summit

• The first Commonwealth Conference, to be held on 12 November 2010, will explore what it means to be a citizen of the Commonwealth in the 21st century, it was revealed.

Call for entries for International Arts Residencies

• Visual artists have been invited by the Commonwealth Foundation to apply for the 2010 Commonwealth Connections residencies.

Science Diplomacy conference announced

• A forthcoming conference for policy makers, politicans, academics, NGOs and businesses themed around science, technology and society has been announced by the Commonwealth Foundation.

Note: If you print this, please ensure you recycle it after use.