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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Commonwealth hosts conference on development agenda for small states

15 February 2000

The Commonwealth Secretariat-World Bank Task Force on small states is convening a global conference on the development agenda for small states in London on 17-18 February 2000. This two-day conference will be chaired by the Rt Hon Owen Arthur, Prime Minister of Barbados.

The main aims of the conference are to ensure widest possible consultations on key development issues for small states and to determine policy approaches to overcome their vulnerability. The conference will focus on four key concerns of small states:
• Reducing vulnerability. The meeting will focus primarily on innovative approaches to dealing with the crippling effects of natural disasters, including catastrophe insurance, risk pooling and risk management;
• Transition to a more liberal global trade regime. In the liberalisation of world trade, under various WTO arrangements, small states face daunting challenges. The meeting will explore ways of accommodating the particular vulnerabilities of these countries and the financing of their successful transition to a freer international trading regime;
• Globalisation. The meeting will focus on the challenges, opportunities and risks related to globalisation. It will also examine how development options of isolated communities could be increased by modern, efficient and competitively priced communication technologies and the support countries will need to successfully implement these and other innovations;
• Capacity building. This discussion will emphasise the use of regional approaches to overcome problems of small size. It will also examine ways to deliver development assistance more effectively to small states and reduce the administrative burdens on recipients.

Over 125 people are expected to participate in this event, including several heads of government and a large number of senior Ministers from small states. Other participants include representatives of 40 multilateral, regional and bilateral organisations, representatives of the private sector, NGOs and academics.


Note to Editors:
There will be a press conference at 18.00 on 18 February, immediately following the close of the conference. Journalists interested in attending should contact Mischa Manderson Mills, Information and Public Affairs Division, Commonwealth Secretariat, tel +44 20 7747 6385, fax +44 20 7839 9081, email m.mills@commonwealth.int.

 

00/09 15 February, 2000

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ISSUED BY THE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIVISION
Commonwealth Secretariat Marlborough House Pall Mall London SW1Y 5HX United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)20 7747 6385/6 Fax: +44 (0)20 7839 9081
Email: info@commonwealth.int