Corporate report

UK Commonwealth Chair-In-Office report addendum 2020 to 2022: continued delivery of Commonwealth Summit commitments

Published 19 May 2022

This was published under the 2019 to 2022 Johnson Conservative government

Foreword by Minister for the Commonwealth

The UK has been Commonwealth Chair-in-Office for four years (2018-2022), having taken up this important role after hosting the 25th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in April 2018. We have been an active chair throughout and unwavering in our commitment to the strengthening and renewal of the Commonwealth.

In 2020, the UK published a comprehensive UK Commonwealth Chair-in-Office Report 2018-2020 detailing delivery towards creating a Commonwealth that is fairer, prosperous, more sustainable and more secure. Unexpectedly, our original tenure as chair was extended by a further two years due to the evolution of the pandemic, which led to the postponements of CHOGM in 2020 and 2021. The UK continued to work diligently throughout to deliver on Leaders’ shared priorities.

As Minister for the Commonwealth, I have always advocated for the Commonwealth as an important alliance of 54 countries voluntarily bound by shared values of peace, democracy and the rule of law. During these challenging times, I have been proud to witness at first hand our continued work across the Commonwealth: from our marine protection work with Small Island Developing States, to the promotion and protection of human rights in the UN, including delivery of the first ever joint Commonwealth statement in the UN Human Rights Council in 2020; to strengthening our cyber security in Africa and South Asia. During our extended tenure, I have also been able to continue to visit a range of Commonwealth countries, such as India, the Maldives and Rwanda.

I am pleased to commend this UK Commonwealth Chair-in-Office Report Addendum 2020-2022 to you, setting out a further update on UK delivery against the 2018 Commonwealth Summit commitments.

In the year of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee and as we look ahead to the Kigali CHOGM, the UK will remain steadfastly committed to the Commonwealth after handing over the Chair-in-Office role to Rwanda. As the third largest multilateral alliance, the Commonwealth remains an important vehicle for realising the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and for meeting new and emerging challenges.

Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon

Infographic summary

Global health security

The UK has played a key role in helping to tackle the global challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

1.4 billion vaccine doses delivered to 52 Commonwealth countries^{[footnote 1]}.

Strengthening the Commonwealth institutions

As Chair-in-Office, the UK has continued to prioritise work with partners on Commonwealth strengthening and renewal.

Largest single donor to the Commonwealth intergovernmental organisations and their programmes.

Fairness

The UK has worked with Commonwealth partners to highlight our strong collective commitment to the shared values of human rights and the rule of law.

Delivered first Commonwealth statement in the UN Human Rights Council^{[footnote 2]}.

Prosperity

We have boosted intra-Commonwealth trade by removing trade barriers and deepening economic partnerships.

Continued support to over 3,500 women-owned businesses to become more competitive and generate over £32 million in sales.

Sustainability

With UK funding, the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub (CFAH) supports some of the most climatically vulnerable countries to strengthen their climate action.

Helped to secure US$38 million in climate finance^{[footnote 3]}.

Security

The UK has invested over £15 million^{[footnote 4]} into the implementation of the Commonwealth Cyber Declaration across all member states in support of an open, democratic, peaceful and secure Cyber Space.

Delivered 130 events in 32 countries.

Continued delivery of Commonwealth Summit commitments (2020-2022)

It has been four years since the UK hosted the 25th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM18) in London, during which Leaders committed to building a Commonwealth that is fairer, prosperous, more sustainable and more secure. As Commonwealth Chair-in-Office (CiO), the UK worked with member states and partners to deliver on those commitments, and two further priorities for strengthening the Commonwealth: to boost the voice of the Commonwealth as an advocate of the rules-based international system, and to increase the practical solidarity between member states.

A package of over £500 million of programmes and projects was announced in 2018 to support these priorities; the outcomes from our investments are detailed in the UK Commonwealth Chair-in-Office Report 2018-2020. ^{[footnote 5]}

The UK Commonwealth Chair-in-Office Report Addendum 2020-2022 summarises the UK’s extended delivery against Heads’ commitments, together with the UK’s strengthening priorities (voice and solidarity), during our additional tenure as CiO from 2020 to 2022. This document builds on the deliverables set out in the UK Commonwealth Chair-in-Office Report 2018-2020 but gives greater focus to health security, given the critical need to adapt and respond to the pandemic. The Government of Rwanda has designated health a key focus area for Heads of Government at CHOGM22.

The UK would like to offer our sincere gratitude and appreciation to our many committed delivery partners, and to our UK High Commissions for their strong support to our Commonwealth family over this intensely challenging period. Annex A provides more detail on specific areas of UK-funded project and programme activity.

Global health security

The COVID-19 pandemic provided a sobering backdrop to our extended CiO tenure, which required the UK to significantly scale up global health activity, in addition to those areas already identified under the sustainability pillar. To this end, in our capacity as chair, the UK facilitated a joint statement of Commonwealth Heads of Government on COVID-19^{[footnote 6]} in summer 2020, and co-ordinated closely with partners to keep key transport and trade routes and supply chains open across the Commonwealth, including for food and medicines.

Through the investment of over £500 million into the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX), the UK has, to date, helped to play a key role in supporting the delivery of over 1.4 billion vaccine doses, including in 52 Commonwealth countries. The Prime Minister’s pledge in donating vaccines bilaterally has also delivered over 60 million doses, including to 19 Commonwealth countries. ^{[footnote 7]}

The UK has worked to strengthen countries’ capacity to prepare, prevent and respond to future health emergencies. Over £10 million has been invested in supporting Commonwealth countries, such as Pakistan, Zambia and Nigeria since 2018, enhancing their ability to comply and implement the requirements of the International Health Regulations (IHRs)^{[footnote 8]}. Furthermore, the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team has deployed to a number of Commonwealth countries in response to COVID-19 outbreaks.

Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, the UK has remained committed to tackling the ever-growing health security threat posed by antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Through the UK’s Fleming Fund, the UK has invested over £42 million since 2018 in projects to strengthen AMR surveillance systems and build the skills and capacity of healthcare professionals in 14 Commonwealth countries.^{[footnote 9]}

Strengthening the Commonwealth

As CiO, the UK has prioritised work with partners on Commonwealth strengthening and renewal. A comprehensive set of reform recommendations, adopted by Commonwealth Foreign Ministers (at their meeting chaired by the UK in 2019), are due to be endorsed by Heads at CHOGM22 and will support performance and delivery of the Commonwealth Secretariat. The UK has also continued to be the largest single donor to Commonwealth intergovernmental organisations and their programmes.^{[footnote 10]} During this period, we have played an active role in the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), which oversees member state adherence to the Commonwealth’s fundamental values.

The UK has boosted the voice of the Commonwealth and enhanced cooperation between member states, including delivering the first ever Commonwealth Statement in the UN Human Rights Council in October 2020^{[footnote 11]}, which reflected our strong collective commitment to the rules-based international system. In autumn 2020, the UK instigated a strong joint Foreign Ministers statement on racism, committing Commonwealth members to accelerate efforts to address the causes of racial discrimination.

In November 2021, to encourage practical solidarity between member states, the Prime Minister, in his capacity as chair, convened Commonwealth Heads of Government attending the COP26 World Leaders’ Summit to press for urgent collective action on the climate emergency.

A fairer future

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: 3 Good health and well-being, 4 Quality education, 5 Gender equality, 10 Reduced inequalities, 16 Peace, justice and strong institutions

At CHOGM18, Leaders emphasised that the full social, economic and political participation of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status, is essential for democracy and sustainable development to thrive.

Human rights and good governance support

In our extended tenure, we have continued to prioritise our human rights work, including with all of our Commonwealth partners to ensure we each live up to these shared principles. We have, for example, continued to fund the Equality and Human Rights Commission to perform the vital role of Chair of the Commonwealth Forum of National Human Rights Institutions. We have built on the previous 2018-20 CiO-supported project “Commonwealth Partnership for Democracy (CP4D)” by supporting the UK Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA-UK) to strengthen parliamentary oversight and accountability in the Commonwealth.^{[footnote 12]} In the area of inclusion and open societies, we have continued to work with The Commonwealth Equality Network to encourage the reform of legislation which fails to protect LGBT+ people and support the important work of human rights defenders in Commonwealth countries.^{[footnote 13]}

Case study: CSSO human rights advisers

Throughout our CiO tenure, the UK has been one of the leading donors of the Commonwealth Small States Office (CSSO) in Geneva, which continues to provide a vital platform for small Commonwealth states to engage more actively in one of the key multilateral capitals of the world. In addition to UK support to the trade team at the CSSO, we have continued to fund the work of two dedicated Human Rights Advisers. These advisers have helped to strengthen the capacity of small and developing Commonwealth member states to participate even more actively across a range of human rights fora, including through their membership of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) or through other human rights accountability mechanisms such as the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Process.

At the last two sessions of the HRC (in October 2021 and April 2022), the advisers provided direct technical assistance to seven Commonwealth members (Guyana, Lesotho, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, The Gambia and Vanuatu), enabling them to have a greater voice in the Council’s work as well as playing a more active role in holding others to account for their adherence to human rights standards. During this time, the advisers also provided technical assistance to Eswatini and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on their UPRs as well as support to other Commonwealth countries in meeting their treaty body reporting obligations. ^{[footnote 14]}

A prosperous future

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: 4 Quality education, 5 Gender equality, 8 Decent work and economic growth, 10 Reduced inequalities, 17 Partnerships for the goals

Leaders endorsed communiqué language at CHOGM18 that supports a rules-based, free, open and fair multilateral trading system; resists protectionism; and supports inclusive and sustainable growth, in particular through promotion of a gender-responsive trade approach. In support of this agenda, the UK has continued to work with Commonwealth partners to encourage intra-Commonwealth trading opportunities, including through our network of Trade Envoys to Commonwealth countries, such as South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda and Rwanda.

Removing trade barriers

Since 2020, the UK has secured trade agreements with 33 Commonwealth countries. This includes Free Trade or Trade and Cooperation Agreements with Singapore, Cyprus, Malta, Australia and New Zealand, and a Trade Continuity Agreement (TCA) with Canada, maintaining the effects of the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

These also include our Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) covering 27 Commonwealth African, Caribbean and Pacific countries. These development-focused agreements promote increased trade and investment by putting our trading relationships on a more equitable footing, supporting sustainable growth and poverty reduction.

Nineteen Commonwealth countries currently benefit from preferential trading arrangements through the UK’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP). Of these, 14 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) benefit from duty free, quota free trade with the UK. Average annual exports from all Commonwealth countries to the UK eligible for the UK’s GSP are around £8 billion (2016-2019). In summer 2022, we will launch a new more generous preferences scheme—known as the Developing Countries Trading Scheme—making it simpler for partner countries and businesses to use. This will be a major opportunity to grow free and fair trade with developing Commonwealth partners.

Supporting strategic trade and investment programmes

Announced at CHOGM18, the Commonwealth Standards Network^{[footnote 15]} and the Commonwealth Trade Facilitation Programme^{[footnote 16]} have together created a more enabling environment for intra-Commonwealth trade across 50 participating countries. ^{[footnote 17]}

The UK has additionally supported the Commonwealth Secretariat in the production of the 2021 Commonwealth Trade Review^{[footnote 18]}, and supported the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) to convene Commonwealth governmental and business leaders at the Commonwealth Trade and Investment Summit in September 2021 and the upcoming Commonwealth Business Forum at CHOGM22.

Deepening economic partnerships

The newly re-launched British International Investment (BII—previously known as CDC) will mobilise up to £8 billion a year by 2025 to support sustainable infrastructure and offer reliable financing to low and middle-income countries, including many in the Commonwealth, to generate clean growth and new jobs.

How we’re helping build a prosperous future

• since 2020, the UK has secured trade agreements with 33 Commonwealth countries
• we have introduced programmes to create a more enabling environment for intra-Commonwealth trade across 50 countries
• British International Investment (BII) will mobilise up to £8 billion a year by 2025 to generate clean growth and new jobs

A more sustainable future

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: 3 Good health and well-being, 5 Gender equality, 12 Responsible consumption and production, 13 Climate action, 14 Life below water

The Commonwealth family has long been a strong advocate for action on climate change and protection of the natural environment. Of the 54 Commonwealth members, 32 are small states and 25 are Small Island Developing States (SIDS), many of whom are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and natural disasters. The Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub (CFAH), co-funded by the UK, is helping some of the most climatically vulnerable countries to gain access to finance for climate action. FCDO funding has supported the deployment of dedicated climate advisers in Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica and St Lucia, which has helped to mobilise over US$38 million in climate finance for 23 programmes. ^{[footnote 19]} This has included support for national adaptation plans and sustainable and resilient fisheries sectors. The climate advisers have also helped to strengthen institutional capacity and knowledge in key ministries in these countries.

Case study: Protecting the marine environment

At CHOGM18, Commonwealth leaders committed to preserving the marine environment with the launch of the Commonwealth Blue Charter which set out principles by which Commonwealth countries would lead international efforts to sustainably develop and protect the ocean.^{[footnote 20]} Action Groups, led by 16 countries and joined by 46 Commonwealth members, are progressing cooperation on 10 priority issues. The UK is an active member of six Action Groups. In particular, we co-lead with Vanuatu the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance (CCOA) which is focused on reducing marine plastic pollution.^{[footnote 21]} The CCOA has led to the creation of initiatives such as:

• the UK-supported Commonwealth Litter Programme (CLiP)^{[footnote 22]}, helping several members to develop Marine Litter Action Plans and supported a pilot study in India on water quality
• the Tackling Waste and Plastic Pollution Programme, helping to establish recycling partnerships in Uganda and Ghana

As CiO, the UK has supported SIDS through the Commonwealth Marine Economies (CME) Programme to sustainably develop marine economies that are more diverse and resilient to climate change, while safeguarding the health of the ocean. The programme has involved scientific research and capacity building, showcasing the UK’s leadership in ocean science, and working in partnership with SIDS governments to develop Maritime Economy Plans (MEPs). During our extended tenure, we have continued to support the CME Programme, including work to map the Blue Economy Financial Flows for SIDS in the Pacific, Caribbean and Atlantic, Indian Ocean and South China Seas, which is helping to inform future support and engagement. ^{[footnote 23]}

A more secure future

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: 5 Gender equality, 8 Decent work and economic growth, 9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure, 16 Peace, justice and strong institutions, 17 Partnerships for the goals

At CHOGM18, all Commonwealth member states agreed and signed the Commonwealth Cyber Declaration, in support of an open, democratic, peaceful and secure Cyber Space. Throughout the UK’s extended tenure, capacity-building work has delivered against the declaration and every member state has taken steps to improve cyber security competence and capability. The UK’s international cyber capacity building programmes have invested over £15 million (2018-22), delivered over 130 events in 32 countries and trained over 6,000 people. The Commonwealth now has an opportunity to re-commit to the declaration at CHOGM22 and continue driving its implementation.

As part of our efforts to build a more secure Commonwealth, we have continued to work with Commonwealth countries at regional and national levels, and to increase our influence in multilateral institutions, raising the cost of cyber-attacks by our adversaries. From 2018, this has included developing a community platform for Commonwealth Cyber Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRT); provision of free cyber threat intelligence and detection to member countries in the Indo-Pacific and Africa; delivering National Cyber Risk Assessment training in partnership with the Home Office; and working with the Commonwealth Secretariat to tackle cybercrime by improving sharing of electronic evidence between member countries.

Our programmes have resulted in partner countries better protecting their critical national infrastructure from cyber-attacks, building stronger networks to exchange knowledge and expertise, enhanced sharing of threat intelligence and understanding of risks, and a more informed and engaged civil society.

We have continued to invest in the implementation of the Commonwealth Cyber Declaration, including testing new and innovative projects. As part of our extended programme of activity, we have continued to prioritise work around online safety. Get Safe Online has covered 22 Commonwealth countries, including Rwanda and partners across the Caribbean and Pacific, which has helped to increase awareness of online risks. We have delivered public online safety campaigns reaching over 60 million people, and trained over 230 local cyber “ambassadors”, who continue to train others and raise awareness after the project has ended.

The UK looks forward to building on the significant progress made since 2018 to increase our collective cyber security capacity across the Commonwealth and to promote a free, open, peaceful and secure cyberspace. ^{[footnote 24]}

The UK’s continued commitment to the Commonwealth

During our extended tenure, the UK has worked diligently with partners to deliver a fairer, prosperous, more sustainable and more secure Commonwealth. We look forward to handing over the role of Chair-in-Office to Rwanda at CHOGM22 and, in July, welcoming all 72 Commonwealth nations and territories in the spirit of friendly competition to the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Our partnership with the Commonwealth is vital.^{[footnote 25]} We will remain steadfastly committed to this association of 54 equal and independent member states as a robust champion of our shared values of peace, security and democracy, and many of our international priorities, including climate, girls’ education and trade.

Annex A: continued Commonwealth project activity

This annex covers UK-funded projects over 2018-22. Please see the original UK Commonwealth Chair-in-Office Report 2018-2020 for the initial portfolio of UK projects and programmes, which were launched in 2018.

Strengthening the Commonwealth

UK funding to Commonwealth Intergovernmental Organisations
Commonwealth Institution	UK funding in FY 2020-21	UK funding in FY 2021-22
Commonwealth Secretariat (Core funding)	£5,482,713	£5,436,057
Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP)	£1,030,661	£1,021,702
Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation Fund (CFTC)	£4,000,000	£4,000,000
Commonwealth Foundation	£1,081,826	£1,081,826
Commonwealth of Learning	£1,000,000	£1,000,000
Total	£12,595,200	£12,539,585

All other areas

A fairer future

Project name	Aims and key activity
1. Good Governance, Parliamentary Oversight and Accountability across the Commonwealth	This project, running from 2020 to 2022, has been delivered by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK and covers two discrete projects. It has covered a broad range of areas, from strengthening the work of Public Accounts Committees, addressing gender-based violence and online harms with a focus on women Parliamentarians as well as delivering specific strands of work on climate change and modern slavery.
2. Building fairer, more equal and more inclusive Commonwealth societies	This project ran from 2018 to 2021, with the UK providing over £5 million in support of the Equality & Justice Alliance. New legislation has been developed on domestic violence, harassment and discrimination in four Commonwealth countries. This is likely to have lasting benefits as well as provide a benchmark for other countries to follow. An open access, online research database has been established with over 700 reports, policy papers and briefing notes relating to legal reform, women’s rights, LGBT+ rights and gender-based violence. Ten original research papers were also produced with analysis and recommendations to support reform in Commonwealth countries on a wide range of issues. Some elements of this programme continued under project 7, Fighting the Reversing Tide.
3. Women Mediators across the Commonwealth (WMC)	This project ran from 2018 to 2022, with the UK providing over £2 million in support. WMC has created a network for 46 women mediators, diverse in geography, age and experience. Support networks have also been established by members in Pakistan and Nigeria. Furthermore, a ‘grassroots’ component is having success at a local level. The project is enhancing the participation of women in peace processes.
4. Commonwealth Forum for National Human Rights Institutions (CFNHRI)	This project initially ran from 2018 to 2020, and the UK provided additional funding in 2020-22. It aims to support the protection and promotion of human rights across the Commonwealth through the strengthening of the CFNHRI and its National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs). The FCDO has funded the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) in its role as Chair of the CFNHRI and helped build a more effective empowered network of NHRIs across the Commonwealth. The project has worked across a range of rights issues, including on disability and LGBT+.
5. Girls’ Education Challenge	From 2018 to 2025, the UK is investing over £240 million in support of the Girls’ Education Challenge. Projects funded through this commitment are supporting over 1.5 million marginalised girls across 17 countries, of which 11 are in the Commonwealth (Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia). By 2025, over 940,000 marginalised girls in the 11 Commonwealth countries will have had continued access to 12 years of quality education and learning, with over 100,000 of the most marginalised girls, who have dropped out of school or have never had the opportunity to learn previously, being offered a second chance of an education.
6. Supporting Commonwealth small states in Geneva-based international institutions on human rights	This project initially ran from 2018 to 2020, and the UK provided additional funding in 2020-22. It aims to make technical human rights expertise available to Commonwealth small states to facilitate their effective participation in Geneva-based international human rights mechanisms. The UK has funded two resident human rights advisers in the Commonwealth Small States Office (CSSO) in Geneva. The advisers have provided tailored technical assistance on Universal Periodic Reviews to three countries, trained in-country officials in two countries, and provided support at Human Rights Council sessions to four countries. Nine Commonwealth small states have been able to increase participation in human rights mechanisms (e.g. on treaty body reporting obligations). This capability played an important role in developing and delivering a Commonwealth Statement at the Human Rights Council, which was led by the UK as CiO.
7. Fighting the Reversing Tide	This project initially formed part of the Equality and Justice Alliance (see project 2) and was extended from 2020 to 2022. Delivered by The Commonwealth Equality Network (TCEN), the project aimed to empower grassroots civil society organisations, providing technical assistance and capacity building to improve advocacy for the human rights of LGBT+ people. It sought to facilitate the process of institutional reform, strengthening TCEN’s governance structures, resilience and long-term sustainability. Importantly, the project also helped identify and address the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable groups, such as the LGBT+ community.

A prosperous future

Project name	Aims and key activity
8. Mitigation against de-risking in the Caribbean	Due to its success, this project (originally scheduled from April 2018— June 2021) has been extended and is ongoing. This UK-Canada project continues to raise the standard of supervision of the financial and non-financial sectors in the Caribbean in relation to anti-money laundering / counter-terrorism financing regulation. Over 150 supervisors have received training delivered by the adviser, resulting in the improvement of members’ understanding of the FATF standards and improvement in members’ risk-based supervisory regimes.
9. Bank of England partnership	This project, running from 2018 to 2022, invested £2 million to enhance Commonwealth central bank capacity to regulate and supervise financial systems in developing countries. The Bank of England continued its work with central banks in Sierra Leone, Ghana, South Africa and the wider South African Development Community on financial stability topics, covering the COVID-19 response, monetary policy communications, capital controls and cyber risks. Participating central banks have increased their industry engagement, use of best practice forecasting tools and implementation of crisis resolution frameworks contributing to their ability to better identify and manage financial stability risks.
10. Local currency bond markets	This project ran from 2018 to 2022 and aimed to improve access to international finance for Commonwealth governments and business. It has worked with regulators in Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana – through UK-funded Financial Sector Deepening (FSD) Africa—to develop their domestic capital markets and increase their access to local currency finance, including through offshore local currency bonds issued in London. This was supported by other UK-funded initiatives, such as the Africa Local Currency Bond Fund and Guarantco. As a result, the first local currency bonds denominated in Ghanaian Cedi and Kenyan Shilling have been listed on the London Stock Exchange. During the UK-Africa Investment Summit, the first Rwandan franc denominated bond (issued by the World Bank) in London was also announced.
11. Commonwealth Standards Network (CSN)	This project ran from 2018 to 2021 and the established Network continues to operate under the management of the British Standards Institute. CSN has helped to create a more enabling environment for intra-Commonwealth trade across 50 participating countries through technical assistance aimed at addressing specific institutional capacity constraints and supporting the private sector to use international standards and participate in international standards development. A new global Standards Partnership Programme is being developed to launch in 2022-23.
12. Accelerate Trade Facilitation (formerly HMRC-WCO-UNCTAD Trade Facilitation Capacity Building Programme 2015 - 2022)	This partnership project between the World Customs Organisation, WTO and HMRC has been in place since 2018 and is ongoing. On 4 March 2022, the UK Government announced over £4 million of funding to launch a fourth phase of the programme until 2025, which is likely to include 13 Commonwealth countries. There are currently nine Commonwealth countries being supported through this project, which aims to create more efficient customs procedures, enabling the implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement in line with international standards to facilitate intra-Commonwealth trade. Recent achievements of the programme include halving average clearance times at a crucial border post in Zambia; supporting Lesotho’s air cargo unit to operate in a digital environment, which will directly contribute to facilitating access to COVID-19 vaccines; and training over 1,000 members of National Trade Facilitation Committees to effectively coordinate customs reform.
13. Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) support	The UK has continued to support CWEIC from 2018 to 2022, including preparations for the Commonwealth Business Forum (CBF) at CHOGM22. CBF will build on the commitments made at CHOGM18 and ensure strong representation from women and under-represented groups. In FY 2021-22, our funding enabled CWEIC to deliver a successful Commonwealth Trade and Investment Summit in September 2021, and a subsequent series of webinars on tourism, small states, and entrepreneurship and skills. These activities will build on and inform the direction of key themes at CBF.
14. Analytical support for the Commonwealth Trade Review	This publication benefitted from three background papers funded by the UK in 2021, supporting analytical work to help improve understanding of the opportunities for deepening intra-Commonwealth goods, services and digital trade. The 2021 edition of the biennial Commonwealth Trade Review presents new empirical findings about the impact of the pandemic and outlines practical recommendations to boost trade recovery and build resilience, especially by harnessing digital trade and digital technologies, utilising post-Brexit trading opportunities and promoting more sustainable green and blue economies.
15. Commonwealth Small States Office Trade Advisers	This project, initially running from 2019 to 2020, is ongoing and continues to support Commonwealth small states in Geneva-based international institutions on trade. The two UK-funded resident trade advisers have helped Commonwealth small states to better monitor WTO work streams, interpret WTO rules for their own domestic contexts, and understand the implications of WTO negotiations for their national economies. Support provided by the advisers has covered a wide range of policy areas, including investment, intellectual property, anti-dumping and countervailing measures, trade and climate change.
16. SheTrades Commonwealth	This project, running since 2018, has supported over 3,500 women-owned businesses to become more competitive and helped to generate £32 million in sales for women-owned businesses in four target countries—Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Bangladesh. In 2020, this project also launched SheTrades Outlook – a digital platform tracking the trade and gender policies and practices of over 40 countries including 35 Commonwealth members. It aims to improve how governments, business and civil society can support women’s participation in international trade and business.
17. Commonwealth Scholarships Commission (CSC)	CSC is an executive NDPB of the FCDO. It funds awards exclusively for candidates from low and middle-income countries. The Department for Education (DfE) provides financial support for candidates from high-income countries, and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), has provided financial support for fellowships for postdoctoral researchers. As reflected in CSC’s annual reports, funding by FCDO, DfE and BEIS for FY 2018-19 to FY 2020-21 amounted to approximately £81.5 million, which supported over 2,000 new awards. Combined financial support from 2018 and 2022 will amount to over £100 million.

A more sustainable future

Project name	Aims and key activity
18. Support for the Blue Charter	The UK has provided over £500,000 to this project from 2018 to 2022, which is delivered through the Commonwealth Secretariat. Direct funding in 2018 facilitated the work of Blue Charter action groups in their first two years. In FY 2021-22, the UK put in place a new funding arrangement to support an ocean-climate finance adviser to assist Blue Charter members with proposal development and institutional capacity building.
19. Commonwealth Litter Programme (CLiP)	This project initially running from 2018 to 2021 is ongoing, with funding secured within the UK’s £500 million Blue Planet Fund [footnote 26] as part of its Ocean Country Partnership Programme. This project, through UK technical and scientific expertise, identified sources of marine litter in five Commonwealth countries and solutions to tackle them. With CLiP’s support, these countries have taken strong action on plastic pollution. For example, CLiP-generated evidence supported Vanuatu in banning six types of single-use plastic, and the Belize government in passing legislation prohibiting the use of a range of single-use plastics and Styrofoam items.
20. Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance (CCOA) Technical Assistance Facility	The CCOA, which ran from 2018 to 2021, facilitated the design of bespoke technical assistance packages to help countries reduce marine litter. Two phases of the CCOA included the development of terms of reference for technical assistance in 17 Commonwealth countries and the provision of CCOA-related pollution technical assistance to some countries under the Blue Planet Fund’s Ocean Country Partnership Programme.
21. Global Plastics Action Partnership (GPAP)	This project, which ran from 2018 to 2021, has now been subsumed under the UK’s Blue Planet Fund. UK funding of £2.4 million to date has helped to lead businesses across the plastics supply chain to work with NGOs and governments. Work to progress National Plastic Action Plans (NPAPs) is being taken forward in Ghana and Nigeria.
22. Tide Turners Plastic Challenge Badge	This project, running from 2018 to 2022, has enabled 470,000 young people in 35 countries, including 15 Commonwealth countries, to take action to reduce plastic waste in their own lives, and supported them to inspire others to tackle single-use plastics.
23. Marine Plastics Task Force/Research and Innovation Framework	This project ran from 2018 to 2022. The UK has worked with Commonwealth partners to develop a Marine Plastics Research and Innovation framework, which brought together governments, industry, researchers and practitioners to tackle the issue of marine plastics.
24. Commonwealth Marine Economies	This project ran from 2018 to 2022 and supported Commonwealth Small Island Developing States to develop sustainable and diverse marine economies. With UK support of over £15 million, 13 countries now have the ability to undertake seabed mapping, monitor ocean acidification and sea level rise, or collect tidal data. In Guyana, specialist support has enabled three seafood producers to attain Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) accreditation, underpinning local livelihoods through sustainable fishing and farming industry. Bespoke national Maritime Economy Plans (MEPs) have been shared with Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, and Tuvalu. These assess existing maritime economies and identify opportunities for and obstacles to development, which those countries can use to drive economic growth and alleviate poverty. Belize has created a new Ministry for the Blue Economy which has focused attention on action derived from their MEP. These plans are expected to ensure the CME Programme leaves a lasting legacy by helping nations to chart a sustainable course towards prosperity for their people and protection of their ocean.
25. Climate Finance Access Hub (CFAH)	The UK has supported CFAH from 2018 to 2022. The programme is delivered through the Commonwealth Secretariat. It assists developing states to access climate finance in their efforts to meet the Sustainable Development Goals. UK funding has enabled the deployment of advisers in Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica and St Lucia to assist with the development of climate action proposals and institutional capacity building. The project has helped mobilise over US$38 million in climate finance for 23 programmes.
26. Developing energy and emissions calculators	This project ran from 2019 to 2021. The 2050 Calculator, the extension of which was announced at CHOGM18, is a uniquely open, transparent and interactive model, originally developed in 2010 to help the UK Government plan the country’s low-carbon transition in an evidence-based way. Since 2012, UK International Climate Finance has supported the creation of 19 national and six regional energy models, which have been used to develop Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and action plans, raise awareness and inform long-term energy strategies. The latest phase of the Calculator Programme is developing calculators in four Commonwealth countries—India, Kenya, Malaysia and Nigeria.
27. Malaria	The UK is currently the biggest Commonwealth donor on malaria and continues to play a leading role in driving down malaria cases and death. The UK made a generous pledge to the Sixth Replenishment of Global Fund of £1.4 billion in 2019, which will support efforts to tackle malaria across the Commonwealth. The UK also continues to stand by the Commonwealth commitment to halve the incidence of malaria across the Commonwealth by 2023, and accelerate efforts to reduce malaria globally by 90 percent by 2030. All Commonwealth countries made this commitment together, and are responsible for delivering it collectively.
28. Quality eye care for all	This project, running from 2018 to 2020 has contributed to the provision of 8.3 million treatments through drug administration to reduce the prevalence of Trachoma, whilst managing 27,400 cases of trichiasis and promoting behaviour change to reduce the risk of the disease spreading. Elimination of trachoma in Nigeria is close, delivering on a major CHOGM18 commitment. Furthermore, the Sightsavers’ UK Aid Match project of £3.3 million has improved eye health for around 2.3 million marginalised groups in Bangladesh and Pakistan.
29. International Health Regulations Strengthening	The UK has invested over £10 million from 2018 to 2022 in providing capacity building support to Commonwealth partners such as Pakistan, Zambia and Nigeria, to enhance their ability to comply and implement the requirements of the International Health Regulations (IHRs). This project appeared as “Universal Health Coverage” in the previous CiO report.
30. Anti-microbial resistance (AMR)	The Fleming Fund has invested over £40 million from 2018 to 2022 in tackling antimicrobial resistance in 14 Commonwealth countries through its country grants and fellowship programme. The Fund has also committed a further £2 million through the Commonwealth Partnerships for Antimicrobial Stewardship project. These investments have resulted in the upgrading of laboratories, staff upskilling and the strengthening of AMR surveillance systems. This work is helping to ensure antimicrobial resistance is monitored and managed effectively, and therefore is contributing to stronger, more resilient and integrated healthcare systems in these Commonwealth countries.

A more secure future

Project name	Aims and key activity
31. Commonwealth Cyber Security Programme	A comprehensive package of support from 2018 to 2022 of over £15 million has helped low- and middle-income Commonwealth countries to meet their commitments in the Commonwealth Cyber Declaration. As CiO, the UK has continued to support efforts to maintain a free, open, peaceful and secure cyberspace, addressing the new cyber security challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. The UK has funded a variety of cyber security capacity building projects to support economic and social development and rights online, build incident response capacity and promote international stability through cooperation, intelligence and understanding of risks, and a more informed and engaged civil society. During the UK’s extended tenure, we have continued to support the implementation of the Commonwealth Cyber Declaration, including testing new and innovative projects
32. Cadre of experts on Countering Violent Extremism (CVE)	This project ran from 2018 to 2021. UK funding to the Commonwealth Secretariat’s dedicated Unit supported member states to build their CVE capacity through in-depth technical assistance, training, awareness raising, research, communication and information campaigns, and advocacy for small states.

1. https://www.unicef.org/supply/covid-19-vaccine-market-dashboard ↩

2. https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/un-human-rights-council-45-joint-commonwealth-statement-item-10-general-debate ↩

3. Period covering 2018-2022 ↩

4. Period covering 2018-2022 ↩

5. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-commonwealth-chair-in-office-report-2018-to-2020-delivery-of-commonwealth-summit-commitments ↩

6. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/commonwealth-stands-together-on-the-global-response-to-coronavirus ↩

7. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-to-donate-100-million-coronavirus-vaccine-doses ↩

8. Annex A: Project 29—International Health Regulations Strengthening. (Refer to Annex A for projects footnoted hereafter.) ↩

9. Project 30—Anti-microbial resistance (AMR) ↩

10. Annex A: Strengthening the Commonwealth ↩

11. https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/un-human-rights-council-45-joint-commonwealth-statement-item-10-general-debate ↩

12. Project 1—Good Governance, Parliamentary Oversight and Accountability across the Commonwealth ↩

13. Project 2—Building fairer, more equal and more inclusive Commonwealth societies ↩

14. Project 6 / 15—Supporting Commonwealth small states in Geneva-based international institutions on human rights and trade ↩

15. Project 11 – Commonwealth Standards Network (CSN) ↩

16. Project 12 – Accelerate Trade Facilitation ↩

17. Project 16 – SheTrades Commonwealth ↩

18. https://trade-review.thecommonwealth.org/ ↩

19. Project 25 – Climate Finance Access Hub (CFAH) ↩

20. Project 18 – Support for the Blue Charter ↩

21. Project 20 – Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance (CCOA) Technical Assistance Facility ↩

22. Project 19 – Commonwealth Litter Programme (CLiP) ↩

23. Project 24 – Commonwealth Marine Economies ↩

24. Project 31 – Commonwealth Cyber Security Programme. For more information https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/cyber-security-capacity-building-in-the-commonwealth-2018-to-2021 ↩

25. https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/foreign-secretarys-mansion-house-speech-at-the-lord-mayors-easter-banquet-the-return-of-geopolitics ↩

26. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/blue-planet-fund/blue-planet-fund ↩