From providing antibiotics to more than nine million people
to prevent blinding trachoma, to building a Clean Ocean
Alliance of 34 countries, more than 40 projects have been
delivered during the United Kingdom’s leadership of the
Commonwealth, a new report shows.
The UK’s Chair-in-Office
report details the projects and achievements of the
organisation since the UK became Chair at the Commonwealth
Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London in 2018.
The report demonstrates how the UK has worked with the
organisation’s 53 fellow member states to support and
deliver £500m worth of projects across six continents for
the Commonwealth’s 2.4 billion citizens.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Secretary said:
I am proud that as Chair-in-Office, the UK has been at
the forefront of the Commonwealth’s efforts to deliver
for all members.
Together we have been united in our response to COVID-19,
whilst also improving cyber security, encouraging trade
and tackling climate change.
Projects delivered during the UK’s term include:
- The creation of a new women’s mediators network, which
has trained 46 mediators from 21 countries;
- Supporting the repealing and reforming of outdated
legislation that discriminates against women, girls and
LGBT communities in six Commonwealth countries.
(Unfortunately we can’t name them because of
sensitivities).
- Connecting 3,000 female entrepreneurs to global markets
through SheTrades Commonwealth;
- Providing antibiotics to more than nine million people
to prevent blinding trachoma in countries such as Nigeria,
Tanzania, and Vanuatu;
- Building the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance, in
which 34 countries across six continents have united to
tackle marine pollution;
- Strengthening cyber security in every Commonwealth
nation through the sharing of expertise and threat
intelligence;
- Championing 12 years of quality education for girls
across 11 member states, including Ghana, Kenya, Malawi,
Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Sierra Leone,
Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia;
The UK will hand over the Chair-in-Office role to Rwanda at
the next Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM),
due to be held in 2021.
The summit, which was previously scheduled to be held in
Kigali in June 2020, was postponed earlier this year due to
the Covid-19 pandemic.
