Latest content: Economic development

Commonwealth countries will benefit from a new series of technical papers providing guidance in areas such as remittances, aid, tourism and the impact of Brexit.

The G20 (also known as the Group of Twenty) comprises 19 of the world’s leading economies and the European Union. It plays an important policy co-ordination function by providing space for the G20 leaders to engage in regular and constructive dialogue on pressing issues facing the global economy.

Terrence Simfukwe is a trade adviser seconded to Belize’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He’s there as part of the Hub and Spokes Programme. The programme provides trade experts to national ministries and regional trade organisations in the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of states. Prior to his posting in 2016, he was principal economist for foreign trade in Zambia’s Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry. Here he outlines Belize’s efforts to develop a national trade policy.

Least Developed Countries are set to benefit from an agreement that unites the work of the Commonwealth and the World Trade Organization (WTO) to boost commerce. Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland today signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the trade body’s Enhanced Integrated Framework, during a two-day summit at the WTO headquarters in Geneva.

New cutting edge technology, developed by the Commonwealth, could help governments in Eastern and Southern Africa to manage their debt.

Asian countries of the Commonwealth have gathered in New Delhi, India, this week to deliberate on how to respond to major shifts in the global trade landscape.

The Commonwealth is assisting Guyana to create the regulations, policies and legislation it needs for a new petroleum industry that could inject billions into its economy.

He's fortunate to be growing an online business during a digital revolution, but for the General Manager of a leading classified ads platform in Cameroon things could be easier.

Businesses in Cameroon are poised to take advantage of new proposals to boost their digital economy.

Five Commonwealth countries in Africa and the Indian Ocean are putting final touches on an agreement that will make it easier for professionals to move and work across their borders.

Key talks are underway in Botswana to shape a new programme that will support trade in Africa through technical assistance and capacity-building.

A powerful new tool is being rolled out in Barbados that will help modernise the way public debt is managed, through advanced functionalities and state-of-the-art technology.

The Government of Barbados announced that a total of six projects, ranging the funding value from US $90,000 to US $10,000,000 are at the advance stages of preparation.

The term Fintech probably has not escaped you. It has emerged as the new ‘disruptive market force’ and is challenging the traditional means of providing financial services

Caribbean development partners and beneficiaries of the Hub and Spokes Programme, an aid-for-trade initiative, began a three-day regional planning workshop in Guyana from 23 – 25 April 2018.

Ambassadors, ministers and leading economists from across the Commonwealth and La Francophonie have communicated their views to the G20, at an annual meeting in the US.

Bloomberg Philanthropies and The Commonwealth Secretariat today announced the signing of a multi-year agreement to explore a number of mutually supportive joint initiatives to aid international trade, innovation and sustainability.

In response to the risks to growth presented by rising protectionism, leaders at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) today expressed their strong support for the multilateral trading system and adopted a six-point connectivity agenda to boost trade and investment links across the Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth Business Forum at Guildhall in London concluded this afternoon after three days of lively speeches, panel discussions, presentations and round table consultations.

Collective action to help women overcome barriers to entrepreneurship makes good economic sense. This is the message that rang loud and clear as government leaders, ministers, activists and world-renowned professionals met to deliberate women’s economic empowerment on the second day of the Commonwealth Women’s Forum in London today.

An innovative way for small states to obtain easier access to international trade finance has been launched at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London.

Immigrants to the United Kingdom from Commonwealth countries are not investing as much money back to their home countries as they could. This ‘investment gap’ is a key finding from the first comprehensive assessment of UK diaspora investment.

Former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates spoke at a joint plenary session between all four forums of the Commonwealth Summit, about the importance of collaboration and sharing during his keynote address.

The Commonwealth has launched three initiatives to boost intra-Commonwealth trade and investment. On the margins of the 21st Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, it formed the Intra-Commonwealth Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Association (ICSA) and the Commonwealth Alliance for Young Entrepreneurs (CAYE) in Asia-Pacific, as well as unveiling a trade portal to help businesses.

Intra-Commonwealth trade and productive greenfield investment is expected to reach US$1.6 trillion by 2020, in spite of the global trade slowdown caused by the 2008 financial crisis.