Latest content: Governance and law

The Secretary-General and a team of specialists from the Commonwealth are in Apea, Samoa, to attend meetings in advance of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ Meeting

The Commonwealth Secretariat is engaging the government of Cameroon on a national governance strategy which reflects shared values of “peace, tolerance, respect and understanding”, says Secretary-General Patricia Scotland.

Mozambique’s President Filipe Nyusi has joined leaders across Africa to praise the Secretariat for the revamping and the renewed relevance of the Commonwealth.

Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has today met with President Edgar Lungu, main opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema and Catholic bishops after landing in Zambia yesterday for an official four-day visit.

Deep beneath the ocean, the seabed holds rich deposits of minerals: gold, silver, cobalt, copper, nickel, zinc, as well as lesser known chemical elements like tellurium - used to make solar panels.

Trade governance structures must be “fit for purpose” to address the changing global landscape and benefit Commonwealth member countries, Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has said.

Experts from around the globe have discussed ways to support more women into politics during two significant events hosted by the Commonwealth.

In a wide ranging discussion, the prime minister spoke about ways in which the Commonwealth could help The Bahamas, especially around protecting marine life and marine conservation.

High commissioners have praised as “momentous” a new Commonwealth office to help member states tackle, among other challenges, corruption.

A group of 25 people will be attending a workshop on Friday 7 July to discuss the findings of the Commonwealth Secretariat’s studies on women’s political participation in the Commonwealth.

Canada’s Minister of Finance, Bill Morneau, will chair the 2017 Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting (CFMM) in Washington, D.C., this October.

Anti-corruption agencies in Africa have praised the Commonwealth Secretariat for bringing its resources and expertise to bear on national efforts to combat graft and enhance good governance.

The government of Antigua and Barbuda has welcomed the “monumental” assistance provided by the Commonwealth in settling the country’s maritime boundaries with French territories in the Caribbean.

At the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, the Commonwealth and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights jointly hosted a side event on ending child, early and forced marriage.

Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, has joined the leaders of the Francophonie, the Ibero-American General Secretariat and the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries to make a universal call on behalf of humanity at the International Economic Forum of the Americas in Montreal.

A Commonwealth study on ocean governance in the Pacific offers ways to sustainably capitalise on the economic treasures of the ocean

The Chairperson of the Commonwealth Observer Group to the 2017 National Assembly Elections in Lesotho elections has commended the Basotho for the peaceful and orderly manner in which they voted on 3 June

The heads of anti-corruption agencies across Africa will assemble in Malawi for a major Commonwealth conference at which countries will seek to bolster regional crime fighting efforts.

The Commonwealth Secretariat is helping to create a toolkit that will assist countries to implement the historic Paris Agreement on climate change.

The Commonwealth, in conjunction with the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and the Commonwealth Magistrates’ and Judges’ Association, will conduct a seminar on judicial independence, ethics, and the protection of human rights.

The president of Malawi, Peter Mutharika, has reaffirmed his commitment to the Commonwealth, pledging to support its initiatives on youth, women’s empowerment, entrepreneurship, child marriage, domestic violence and climate change.

National efforts to enhance transparency and thwart corruption in the Caribbean will be strengthened by a Commonwealth conference hosted this week in Jamaica.

Corruption is a problem no economy can choose to ignore. It is worth more than 5 per cent of global GDP (USD 2.6 trillion) and increases the cost of doing business by up to 10 per cent globally. At the same time, globalisation and advances in technology mean the laundered proceeds of crime can be quickly transformed and moved across borders and between jurisdictions.