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 Dominic Raab 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- Supporting the repealing and reforming of outdated legislation that discriminates against women, girls and LGBT communities in six Commonwealth countries.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.
