Multilateral Aid Review summary - The Development Programmes of the Commonweatlh Secretariat (CommSec)

The Commonwealth Secretariat facilitates consultation and co-operation among Commonwealth countries. Its total budget is £49m. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) pays the UK share of the Secretariat’s regular budget. DFID provides funding for its two main development programmes: the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation (CFTC) and the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP), with contributions of £8.75m and £0.85m respectively in 2009/10.

	comment
Contribution to UK development objectives	Unsatisfactory
	+	The Secretariat has a unique role in the international system in supporting the wide range of development networks comprising the Commonwealth family.
	+	The Commonwealth is a strategic priority for HMG and has significant potential, especially given the breadth of its partnerships, and its commitment to democratic values.
	_	Its development programmes do not make a critical contribution to international development objectives.
	_	The effectiveness of the Secretariat’s mechanisms to uphold democratic values is variable. Its potential is not yet being fulfilled.
	_	It has no formal policies on working with fragile states and there is limited evidence for performance in these contexts.
	+	The Secretariat is committed to and active on gender
	_	It needs to strengthen its results focus.
	_	The Commonwealth has demonstrated it can play a useful role on climate change advocacy but the Secretariat’s internal environmental policy framework is limited.
Organisational strengths	Unsatisfactory
	_	Some evidence of development impact for the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation (CFTC), but many projects are short lived with little follow-up support.
	+	The Commonwealth is a partnership based organisation and is responsive to partner country needs.
	_	The effectiveness of country level partnerships is judged as weak.
	_	The Secretariat has made limited progress in human resource management.  Its financial resource management requires considerable improvement - there is little evidence of a serious commitment to cost control. Its strategic and performance management is improving, but from a low base.
	+	There is good beneficiary representation in governance, including mechanisms for redressing grievances.
	_	Good accountability to its membership, but there remains significant scope for improved transparency.
Capacity for positive change	Uncertain
	_	Major reform is needed and, whilst there has been some progress, much more needs to be done if CommSec’s development work is to achieve good value for money.