The Commonwealth

The Commonwealth is a diverse, voluntary association of 54 member states that share a common set of core values around human rights, democracy and development. Commonwealth countries are home to more than two billion people, nearly one third of the world's population.

The Commonwealth brings together people of different faiths, races, religions, cultures and traditions and includes countries of all sizes and at every stage of economic and social development. For example, it includes some of the world's fastest growing economies such as South Africa and Nigeria as well as some of the world's poorest countries like Malawi and Mozambique.

UK support to the Commonwealth

The UK supports developing countries in the Commonwealth through:

• direct bilateral programmes – 14 of the 27 countries on which DFID is focusing its bilateral assistance are Commonwealth members
• funding for the Commonwealth Secretariat's development activities
• funding for a number of autonomous Commonwealth bodies.

The Commonwealth Secretariat 

The Commonwealth Secretariat (ComSec) is the main organisation that carries out the work agreed by the Commonwealth heads of government. ComSec's principal means for delivering development assistance is the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation (CFTC). Voluntary contributions from Commonwealth member governments and overseas territories provide the CFTC with an annual budget of around £29 million. DFID contributed £10.2 million in 2010/11.

CFTC aims to help member countries acquire the knowledge and the ability to address their own development priorities. For example, the CFTC helps small states to access global funds for climate change adaptation, assists members in maritime boundary negotiations, and shares good practice in debt management. 

DFID also supports ComSec's Youth Programme which encourages and helps young people to contribute to development in their home countries.

DFID's Multilateral Aid Review covered the Commonwealth Secretariat's development programmes. It identified reform priorities that, once addressed, should help the Secretariat to perform better by focusing on its core strengths and increasing transparency, value for money and results.

Commonwealth bodies

In addition to CFTC funding, DFID currently supports:

• The Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships Plan under which member governments offer scholarships and fellowships to citizens of other Commonwealth countries. DFID funding enables about 750 academics and professionals to study with UK universities and other institutions each year.
• The Commonwealth of Learning which provides open and distance learning opportunities to teachers, farmers and other groups in Commonwealth developing countries. 
• The Commonwealth Foundation which promotes democracy, good governance and sustainable development across the Commonwealth.
• The Commonwealth Local Government Forum scheme which shares best practice between local authorities in the Commonwealth's member states.

Meetings of the Commonwealth

Commonwealth heads of government meet every two years to discuss global and Commonwealth issues and to agree on policies and initiatives.

The 2011 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) took place in Perth, Australia from 28-30 October under the theme ‘Building National Resilience, Building Global Resilience’. 

Heads considered a challenging development agenda and agreed a series of actions to promote and advance development in key areas across the Commonwealth, including on climate change, food security, health and equality.

Heads also agreed to a ‘Charter of the Commonwealth’, which will clearly set out the core values to which Commonwealth members are committed, and supported steps to reform the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG).

The full text of the CHOGM 2011 final Communiqué agreed by Heads can be found at:
http://www.thecommonwealth.org/news/34580/241632/301011communique.htm