The Commonwealth

The Commonwealth

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal countries. It is home to 2.5 billion people, and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. 33 of our members are small states, including many island nations. Our member governments have agreed to shared goals like development, democracy and peace. Our values and principles are expressed in the Commonwealth Charter.

The Commonwealth Secretariat is the intergovernmental organisation that supports member countries to achieve the Commonwealth’s aims of development, democracy and peace. It publishes authoritative, evidence-based research and knowledge products for policymakers, academics, professionals and wider publics across the world. Our areas of focus and expertise include small and developing states; environment and climate change; democracy, law and government; and social issues concerning young people, gender, health and education.

Small States

This unique annual collection of key economic and statistical data on states with fewer than 5 million inhabitants is an essential reference for economists, planners and policy-makers working on issues of concern to small states. This volume contains 68 tables covering development indicators and 4 articles focusing on the green economy.

  • Imprint: Commonwealth Secretariat
  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849290791
  • Publication Date: Dec 2012
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days

Social Policies in Samoa

Desmond U Amosa

Samoa is a role model in the Pacific region for its economic and social achievements. This in-depth study traces the history of government policy and examines the fundamentals underpinning the country's progress. It also examines how the fa'a Samoa, the culture, enabled the country to build resilience after crises in the 1990s.

  • Imprint: Commonwealth Secretariat
  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849290821
  • Publication Date: Jul 2012
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days

Integrating Sustainable Development into International Investment Agreements

J. Anthony VanDuzer

This Guide is designed to assist developing countries to negotiate International Investment Agreements (IIAs) that are more effective in promoting their sustainable development. A useful reference tool for developing country negotiators and interested parties.

  • Imprint: Commonwealth Secretariat
  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849290869
  • Publication Date: May 2013
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days

Educators in Exile

Barry Sesnan

This study addresses a gap in the literature on the role and status of teachers in emergencies. Through field research from Kenya, South Africa and Uganda, it identifies issues facing refugee teachers and makes recommendations on how policy can address their needs, and thus improve access to education to populations affected by an emergency.

  • Imprint: Commonwealth Secretariat
  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849290913
  • Publication Date: Feb 2013
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days

Gender Responsive Investment Handbook

Vanessa Erogbogbo

Gender Responsive Investment is a process of ensuring gender-equitable access to financial services and investment. This Handbook supports policy-makers to identify the policies, laws and regulations that hinder women's access to finance, and assists financial institutions to deliver inclusive, well-designed products and services for women.

  • Imprint: Commonwealth Secretariat
  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291002
  • Publication Date: Jun 2013
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days

e-Governance in Small States

Anthony Ming

ICTs can create digital pathways between citizens and governments that are affordable, accessible and widespread. This book aims to strengthen the understanding of policy-makers by outlining the conditions and processes involved in the planning and execution of e-government projects.

  • Imprint: Commonwealth Secretariat
  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291026
  • Publication Date: Jul 2013
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days

The Right to Trade

Joseph E. Stiglitz

Aid for trade has not delivered on its initial promise. To create a genuinely pro-development trade liberalisation agenda, Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph E Stiglitz and Andrew Charlton put forward proposals that will help international trade work for developing countries and preserve a development-friendly multilateral trading system.

  • Imprint: Commonwealth Secretariat
  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291057
  • Publication Date: Jun 2013
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days

Tourism and Inclusive Growth in Small Island Developing States

Mark P. Hampton

How tourism might facilitate inclusive growth in small states. The study provides analysis of the gains achieved by direct and indirect channels and the gaps in data collection. Uses data from Jamaica, Maldives, Mauritius and Seychelles, examines land-based and cruise tourism operations and explores how local supply chains could be enhanced.

  • Imprint: Commonwealth Secretariat
  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291071
  • Publication Date: Aug 2013
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days

Transitioning to a Green Economy

Nadine Smith

What does the concept 'green economy' look like in practice? This book contains case studies from eight small states: Botswana, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Mauritius, Nauru, Samoa and Seychelles. It provides insights into the success of various initiatives and highlights how small states themselves are making practical progress.

  • Imprint: Commonwealth Secretariat
  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291279
  • Publication Date: Mar 2014
  • Availability: Temporarily out of stock: Usually despatched in 14-18 days

Achieving the Istanbul Programme of Action by 2020

Achieving the Istanbul Programme of Action by 2020 focuses on four specific themes: structural transformation and export diversification in the LDCs; prospects of graduation of countries from the LDC group; implications of the 2030 Agenda in view of LDC concerns; and new challenges facing LDCs in their pursuit for achieving SDGs.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291484
  • Publication Date: Aug 2016
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

Common Law Legal Systems Model Legislative Provisions on Money Laundering, Terrorism Financing, Preventive Measures and Proceeds of Crime

The Common Law Legal Systems Model Legislative Provisions aims to enable Commonwealth countries to evaluate measures that can be incorporated into domestic law to prevent, detect, and effectively sanction money laundering and terrorism financing and to recover the proceeds of crime.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291507
  • Publication Date: Aug 2016
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

Uganda General Elections, 18 February 2016

The report of the Commonwealth Observer Group for Uganda presidential election held on 18 February 2016, chaired by former president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo. The group concluded that Uganda has fallen well short of meeting many of the key democratic benchmarks for the conduct of credible elections.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291538
  • Publication Date: Jul 2016
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

Capture Fisheries

This third volume in the Commonwealth Blue Economy Series, Capture Fisheries, describes challenges in managing capture fisheries, and strategies and activities that could be undertaken by SIDS to make improvements. Includes case studies illustrating positive actions that have been taken by SIDS and their outcomes.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291545
  • Publication Date: Sep 2016
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

Marine Renewable Energy

This fourth volume in the Commonwealth Blue Economy Series, Marine Renewable Energy, explores the potential for the development of the blue economy by providing a high-level review of actions needed to progress marine renewable energy generation in SIDS.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291552
  • Publication Date: Sep 2016
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

Small States

This unique annual collection of key economic and statistical data on small states is an essential reference for economists, planners and policy-makers. This volume contains 17 tables covering development indicators and an article focusing on climate change impacts, adaptation and policies for agriculture in African small states.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291583
  • Publication Date: Oct 2016
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days

Key Issues in Natural Resource Taxation and Revenue Management in the Commonwealth

Daniel Wilde

This Economic Paper analyses key issues in natural resource taxation and revenue management and recommends policies that can improve countries' economic performance. The discussion draws on economic theory, empirical evidence and the work of the Commonwealth Secretariat.

  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781849291606
  • Publication Date: Oct 2016
  • Availability: In Stock - Despatched Within 5 Working Days