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COMMONWEALTH HIGH LEVEL REVIEW GROUPREPORT BY THE COMMONWEALTH HIGH LEVEL REVIEW
GROUP TO COMMONWEALTH HEADS OF GOVERNMENT, COOLUM, AUSTRALIA TABLE OF CONTENTS I. The Commonwealth's Values and Assets (i) Conflict Prevention and Resolution IV. Enhancing the Commonwealth's Economic and Developmental Role (i) Accessing International Assistance V. The Commonwealth's Governance and Structures
VI. People to People Links: The Commonwealth's
Civil Society Annex B: Youth for the Future: Task Force Report
Introduction 1. Commonwealth Heads of Government established our Group at their meeting in South Africa in November 1999, in order to review the role of the Commonwealth and advise on how best it could respond to the challenges of the new century. 2. We met in New York in September 2000, and again in Coolum on 2 March 2002 to conclude our task. We greatly benefited from the participation of the Commonwealth Secretary-General in our discussions. We also benefited from the work of our Officials, who met several times. In the course of our work, we invited all other Commonwealth member governments to share their views with us. We also invited submissions from, and consulted with, various Commonwealth organisations, including non-governmental organisations, and several eminent Commonwealth citizens. I. THE COMMONWEALTH'S VALUES AND ASSETS 3. The modern Commonwealth is a family of 54 independent states who share a commitment to certain core values and principles, as enunciated by Heads of Government at Singapore (1971), Harare (1991), Edinburgh (1997) and Fancourt (1999). We reiterate our commitment to the following values, in particular:
4. The Commonwealth's special strength lies not only in this shared commitment to core values and principles, but also in the combination of the diversity of its members with their shared history, language, traditions and commitment to the rule of law. Its inter-governmental and people-to-people links, its consensual, informal and flexible ways of working, and its global reach give it a unique place in addressing the problems of a changing world.
II. THE COMMONWEALTH IN THE 21st CENTURY 6. Today's Commonwealth has played an important supportive role in the process of decolonisation and the dismantling of apartheid. It has come of age as a force for conflict resolution, democratic freedoms, good governance, sustainable economic development, and for meeting the special needs of small states. Our task as Commonwealth leaders now, at the dawn of the 21st century, is to chart a practical vision to meet the challenges of the coming decades. 7. We face many and varied challenges such as absolute poverty, human deprivation, degradation of the environment, the AIDS pandemic and conflicts. Terrorism has emerged as a significant new threat to peace and stability in many parts of the world, and therefore constitutes a challenge to the Commonwealth's fundamental values and principles, as well as to its efforts to foster development and justice. Democratic freedoms and institutions remain fragile in too many places. While new technologies and freer flows of goods and capital are opening up new opportunities in all walks of life, this is yet to be realised for the majority of our citizens. 8. Against this background, we are convinced of the Commonwealth's enduring relevance and value. We are proud of our heritage and what we have achieved together. And as we look to the future, we need constantly to renew our organisation and recalibrate it to contemporary needs and the aspirations of our peoples. The following action programme thus encompasses a comprehensive series of recommendations for policy and organisational renewal. Our common values and our unique ways of working together provide real strengths in addressing the challenges we face. We envisage a modern and vibrant Commonwealth with a simplified and effective structure. We seek a Commonwealth known, owned and valued by its peoples, responsive to their evolving needs, and invigorated by a more focused and productive partnership between governments and civil society. We believe that our Commonwealth for the 21st century will need to be one which draws on its history, plays to its strengths, and seizes the opportunities open to it to add value in critical areas of international endeavour.
9. The modern Commonwealth is an association of democracies committed to the principles of good governance, democratic processes, just and honest government and fundamental human rights, the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary, freedom of expression and the enjoyment of such rights by all individuals regardless of gender, race, colour, creed or political belief. The Commonwealth has committed itself to oppose all forms of racial oppression and to uphold human dignity. By setting out its core values in the Singapore and Harare Declarations of 1971 and 1991 and by having the courage to enforce adherence to these core values, the Commonwealth has set itself apart and established a standard to which others now aspire. 10. At the same time that it set out its fundamental political principles in the Singapore and Harare Declarations, the Commonwealth recognised that these values were inseparable from sustainable development, given that economic and social progress work to enhance the sustainability of democracy. We reaffirm the centrality of mutually reinforcing Commonwealth activities that support its fundamental political values. 11. In the promotion and enhancement of these fundamental political values, the Commonwealth is committed to respecting the well-established practice of keeping bilateral issues between member states out of Commonwealth multilateral discussions. 12. We recognise the parliaments and legislatures of the Commonwealth - national, regional and local - as essential elements in the exercise of democratic government, and welcome the contribution of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in advancing the democratic culture of the Commonwealth. We believe also that not only governments but all political parties, other organs of civil society and the public at large share responsibility for upholding and promoting the democratic ethic. (i) Conflict Prevention and Resolution 13. The challenge for the Commonwealth in the 21st century is to assist its members to strengthen adherence to the Harare Principles in order to realise the benefits of just and stable government and freedom from internal conflict. We believe the Commonwealth has built a reputation for working quietly to resolve disputes in its member states and this tradition of quiet diplomacy is highly effective. The Secretary-General's key role in deploying his Good Offices will remain the most important element of this work. At the same time, Commonwealth measures in support of conflict prevention and resolution will continue to take account of varying traditions and cultures across the Commonwealth. 14. We recommend that: 14.1 The Good Offices Role of the Secretary-General should be strengthened through dedicated and enhanced staff capacity to assist him/her in that work. With such an enhanced capacity, the Commonwealth's focus would shift more towards peace building, including conflict prevention and post-conflict capacity-building. This would increase the Secretariat's ability to provide high quality advice and expertise with regard to situations arising in any part of the Commonwealth. Existing resources from within the Secretariat and expertise from outside would be drawn upon in achieving this. 14.2 The Secretary-General should continue to deploy the services of former Heads of Government/State and other eminent persons from within the Commonwealth in support of his/her Good Offices Role. 14.3 The Secretary-General should consult more closely with regional organisations and key regional players in the exercise of his/her Good Offices. 14.4 The Good Offices role of the Secretary-General should be strengthened through the support of the CHOGM Chairperson-in-Office. (ii) Promoting and Enhancing the Commonwealth's Fundamental Political Values 15. We believe there is a need to intensify efforts to assist members in strengthening democracy and democratic institutions through the provision of constitutional, electoral and legal assistance. The work of Commonwealth Observer Groups, where invited, will remain a strong element in Commonwealth efforts to ensure the free expression of will by electors, and a key measure of the priority the Commonwealth attaches to this fundamental tenet of democracy. 16. We recommend that: 16.1 The Secretariat's capacity should be strengthened and adequately resourced to support democracy and democratic institutions through enhanced electoral observation, technical assistance to promote sound and sustainable electoral practices and institution building. 16.2 It is important to promote and strengthen national and regional human rights mechanisms and promote gender equality in all areas of national life, including in the political sphere. 16.3 Greater priority should be given to supporting member governments in the review and strengthening of democratic institutions, including constitutions, judiciaries and judicial processes, the training of legislative draftspersons, and public service reform. (iii) The Future Role of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group on the Harare Declaration 17. The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) remains the most tangible expression of the Commonwealth's commitment to the fundamental political values to which all Commonwealth members subscribe. As the custodian of the Harare Principles, it has been charged by Heads of Government to address all serious or persistent violations of those Principles by member countries. 18. At their meeting in Durban, Heads of Government commended the role played by CMAG as a custodian of the Harare Principles. They agreed that CMAG should continue to address serious or persistent violations of those Principles and that its future mandate should be considered further by the Commonwealth High-Level Group. 19. We have accordingly considered the CMAG paper "Realising Millbrook" which addresses the issue of the Group's remit. "Realising Millbrook" is at Annex A. 20. We agreed that CMAG's mandate as it relates to the unconstitutional overthrow of a democratically elected government is clearly defined in the Millbrook Commonwealth Action Programme and needs no further elaboration. 21. We felt that the issue requiring attention was the need to clarify procedures to apply in other circumstances where a member country is perceived to be in serious or persistent violation of the Harare Commonwealth Principles. We recommend that: (i) Where such a perception was formed by the Chairperson-in-Office, the Secretary-General or a member government, particular steps should be instituted to establish the basis on which such a perception was founded, before CMAG engages itself with that situation. (ii) When a member country raises such a concern in respect to another member, it must in the first instance bring the matter to the attention of the Secretary-General with evidence as to the basis of that concern. (iii) The member country which is the subject of such concern must also be afforded the opportunity to respond to the points made. (iv) Should the Secretary-General consider that the case so warrants, he or she should then apply his or her Good Offices Role with a view to encouraging the country concerned to move towards full compliance with the Harare Principles. (v) The Chairperson-in-Office and the Secretary-General should consult appropriately in the application of the Good Offices Role. (vi) CMAG would examine a case of perceived violation of the Harare Principles once such Good Offices activities have been exhausted. 22. We further agreed that, in the circumstances referred to in para 21, CMAG might consider applying a similar but differentiated and flexible set of steps as those outlined in the Millbrook Commonwealth Action Programme (Section B para 3 (i) - (viii)). IV. ENHANCING THE COMMONWEALTH'S ECONOMIC AND DEVELOPMENTAL ROLE 23. At Harare, leaders recognised the importance of economic and social development to satisfy the basic needs and aspirations of the Commonwealth's members as an enduring and fundamental Commonwealth principle. They pledged to this principle in facing the challenges of the 1990s and beyond. There have been promising successes, for example in debt relief, and partnership with the World Bank in dealing with the particular problems confronting small states. 24. The challenges remain, and it is time to renew this commitment in the 21st century, identify ways of being even more effective and strengthen the Commonwealth's commitment to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. As leaders noted at Fancourt, globalisation is a reality, but its benefits must be shared more widely and its forces channelled for the elimination of poverty and human deprivation. It demands higher levels of international co-operation than have been seen hitherto, and a concerted effort to enable developing countries to take advantage of new opportunities in areas like trade and information and communications technology. The Fancourt Declaration, which was followed up by specific targets agreed upon in the Millennium Declaration of the UN in terms of globalisation, indicates that strong export growth remains a key element in the ability of developing countries to improve their living standards. The Fancourt Declaration stresses that developing countries need to be assisted to improve their capacities to achieve this. The Commonwealth can and needs to give a lead in this, in a strategic manner that accords with the interests of its members and makes good use of the human and financial resources made available to the Commonwealth by its members. This is a task which demands the focussed attention and co-ordinated effort of the entire Commonwealth family - Commonwealth member governments, the Commonwealth Secretariat, other multilateral Commonwealth agencies, the private sector, the non-official Commonwealth and civil society working together. 25. Gender equality is a fundamental value of the Commonwealth. It contributes not only to the advancement of political rights and empowerment of women, but also to peace-building, poverty reduction and economic and social progress. Taking account of its Plan of Action on Gender and Development, the Commonwealth should continue to support gender mainstreaming and advocacy of gender equality. 26. While the Commonwealth does play a good advocacy role there is scope for enhancement. Debt relief, HIV/AIDS and the vulnerability of small states are examples of areas where the Commonwealth has in the past used its representative nature and internal strengths to contribute to international debate and outcomes which meet the interests of its members. 27. The Commonwealth is well placed to play a constructive role on, and be an effective advocate for, international co-operation in areas such as sustainable development. Through capacity building to enable member countries to engage more effectively in international bodies and negotiations, and by promoting open dialogue on key sustainable development issues at major international meetings, the Commonwealth has the potential to promote a stronger commitment to poverty reduction and sustainable development in other international fora. 28. The pace and complexity of developments in international trading and financial arrangements is ever-increasing. Many of the Commonwealth's smaller members do not have sufficient capacity to influence all these developments or to update their own systems in line with evolving international standards. The Commonwealth should help to safeguard the interests of smaller members and address this need, including through facilitating dialogue between its members and the relevant international agencies and through support for members in developing the necessary capacity. More specifically, attention should be given to building capacity within member states in order to improve their access to markets and investment. 29. We recommend that: 29.1 The Commonwealth's strategic advocacy and political influence should be focussed more effectively in areas of shared concern. This is particularly important for those global issues where high-level Commonwealth political engagement can be deployed in support of members' economic and development interests. These include giving greater attention to the Commonwealth's role in promoting dialogue and co-operation to develop a global response to major environmental challenges such as climate change and sea-level rise. The Commonwealth should also influence the broader global debate and the possible emerging consensus on sustainable development. 29.2 The Secretariat's capacity for strategic policy development should be strengthened through enhanced staff capacity, including through short-term contracts, so that it may help to identify, develop and support such Commonwealth interventions on global issues, as in the ground breaking Commonwealth/World Bank work on small states issues and on debt relief. 29.3 Issues warranting such engagement would be determined and reviewed by Heads of Government at successive CHOGMs, but might be adjusted inter-sessionally by the Secretary-General in consultation with the CHOGM Chairperson-in-Office. 29.4 In pursuing this important work the Commonwealth should prioritise its efforts and take fully into account sensitive technical debates taking place in other international fora. 29.5 Without duplicating the work of other organisations, the Commonwealth should work to facilitate capacity-building in its members states to enhance their participation in the multilateral trade system and their access to investment, and to seek opportunities to use its network of member countries to promote dialogue and bridge-building on major international issues, notably:
29.6 Heads of Government should consider increasing the resources of the Commonwealth in order for it to assist member states to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. (i) Accessing International Assistance 30. Developing members of the Commonwealth interact with a large number of development agencies. Smaller members in particular would benefit from assistance from the Commonwealth on how to access the available options. As a small donor with good international aid credentials, the Commonwealth is well placed to provide this advice. Strategic partnerships with other international organisations will help the Commonwealth to leverage their development assistance resources in favour of Commonwealth members. The strengthening of capacity for 'Referrals' within the Secretariat would enable it to provide timely and effective advice on assistance options from other channels, or identify difficulties of access which may need to be taken up with other agencies. 31. We recommend that: 31.1 The Commonwealth should work to optimise members' access to the full range of technical and development assistance available from the international community, recognising that while Commonwealth resources are finite, its networks and international standing should be used strategically to improve members' access to critical resources. 31.2 The Commonwealth should pursue the above objective:
(ii) Commonwealth Assistance Programmes 32. The Millennium Development Goals for poverty reduction etc provide an overall set of long-term goals for members' development efforts. We believe the Commonwealth needs to make the most effective contribution it can to help members meet the Goals. As a very small source of development assistance with strictly limited resources the Commonwealth needs to position itself strategically by focusing its development assistance on areas where it has demonstrable strength and advantage compared with other sources. The Commonwealth's membership, history, values, record and objectives suggest that it has particular strengths in capacity-building, good governance, strengthening economic management in niche areas and helping small states meet their specific development challenges. As also noted in the "CFTC Rethink" Report, its ability to respond quickly and flexibly to urgent demands in these areas of focus and expertise is an asset widely appreciated by members. 33. We recommend that: 33.1 To enable it to fulfil the expectations placed upon it,
the CFTC's resources be enhanced with increased voluntary contributions,
and the Secretariat be enabled to establish special funds for high
priority programme areas to facilitate extra-budgetary contributions
from other international and bilateral donors as well as the private
sector. 33.3 As recommended in the "CFTC Rethink" report, the Secretariat should continue to retain a significant capacity to respond to requests for strategic gap filling, particularly in respect of vulnerable small states and the Least Developed Countries and in its areas of focus and expertise. 33.4 Building on implementation of the recommendations of the "CFTC Rethink" Report, and in accordance with members' requests for assistance, priority should be given to capacity-building, good governance, strengthening economic management in niche areas, and to helping small states to meet their specific development challenges. (iii) Managing and Co-ordinating Commonwealth Assistance 34. The extensive array of agencies dedicated to the promotion of the economic and development interests of the Commonwealth have an impressive track record, but with greater co-ordination they can make an even more significant contribution. A concerted effort within the official Commonwealth to streamline its currently complex, diffuse and resource-intensive governance would improve the effectiveness of Commonwealth programmes. 35. We recommend that: 35.1 The Commonwealth family should streamline the complex array
of governance processes affecting its economic and developmental
work, in order to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the
organisation's work. In addition to recommendations we make below
(para 45) on governance structures, it should establish a formal
and regular consultative mechanism to bring together Commonwealth
agencies to discuss and co-ordinate programmes and to implement
joint projects. Rationalising the structure of the Commonwealth
Secretariat should achieve a more productive synergy between those
areas involved in project delivery in economic and developmental
work. 37.1 The Commonwealth should continue to help to build and strengthen capacity in ICTs in member countries by concentrating its bilateral and multilateral efforts on support for a five point Action Strategy for building information societies within and outside the Commonwealth. The aim of the Action Strategy would be to equip each country with the essential building blocks needed to create an information society, including through information sharing on "best practice" ICT usage and regulatory frameworks in the private, NGO and government sectors, to widen digital opportunity and narrow social and economic inequalities by:
37.2 The Commonwealth should establish a co-ordinating mechanism, under the authority of the Commonwealth Secretary-General, to review and as necessary strengthen existing internal mechanisms and programmes, and to prioritise, co-ordinate and support projects and proposals in the Commonwealth Digital Action Strategy for implementation by Commonwealth agencies, including non-governmental organisations, working in co-ordination with other international initiatives addressing the Digital Divide. 37.3 The Commonwealth Secretary-General should convene a high level forum in the margins of CHOGM 2003 comprising Commonwealth governments, representatives of international aid agencies and business, individual entrepreneurs and civil society organisations to bring political momentum to the advancement of the ICTs, and for promoting co-operative action by them. 37.4 Furthermore, in order to affirm leadership and commitment
at the highest levels, we recommend that Heads of Government continue
to monitor progress on the efforts to narrow the Digital Divide
and the contribution of ICT to the developmental priorities of Commonwealth
countries.
(1 In accordance with the terms of reference and guidelines set out in the "Youth for the Future" Taskforce report to Leaders.) 41.2 The existing Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships Programme should be made more flexible in terms of what universities and tertiary institutions offer students and young people, to ensure that all countries have an opportunity to participate in the Commonwealth scholarship scheme and that young people are offered a wider range of choice and Commonwealth experience. 41.3 Commonwealth governments, in conjunction with the private sector, should explore opportunities for enhanced access by Commonwealth students to higher institutions of education and learning in Commonwealth countries. V. THE COMMONWEALTH'S GOVERNANCE AND STRUCTURES 42. The Commonwealth today is a large family, serviced by a wide variety of organisations that are inter-governmental, semi-governmental or non-governmental in character. Governments make contributions to, and/or are represented on the governing bodies of, a number of these organisations. 43. We believe that the Commonwealth will be better placed to fulfil the mandates and roles identified by Heads of Government if all members of the family work more closely with each other. We also believe that a rationalisation of the governance of the Commonwealth Secretariat and greater consultation and collaboration among inter-governmental and other bodies would also help to make the Commonwealth more coherent, effective and relevant. 44. It is essential that every programme and activity assisted by the Commonwealth produce lasting (sustainable) beneficial change in member countries. Careful management of the design and delivery of programmes and activities, including monitoring of progress and evaluation of outcomes/results is needed to ensure that this happens. Results-based management has proved effective in other aid agencies and is being applied in most multilateral aid organisations. 45. We recommend that: (i) Commonwealth Secretariat 45.1 The Secretariat's governance arrangements should be streamlined and integrated in order to improve efficiency and transparency, and to improve governments' direction and oversight of the total resources they contribute to Commonwealth activities. 45.2 The work of the Commonwealth Secretariat's four funds should be overseen by a new body, the Board of Governors. The existing governing bodies, viz. Steering Committee of Senior Officials (SCOSO), Finance Committee and Board of Representatives (BOR) of the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation (CFTC) should be dissolved and replaced by the Board of Governors. In respect of the CYP and the CSC budgets, the Board will delegate authority to their respective current governing bodies and will consider reports from them; this arrangement will be reviewed at the next CHOGM in the light of experience. The Board of Governors will be chaired by a senior official of a member country, who will be elected by the Board. The integrity of the four funds, viz ComSec, CFTC, CSC and CYP, should be preserved. 45.3 The Board of Governors, on which all Commonwealth governments should be represented, should meet annually (in May) to give strategic direction on major policy issues, review implementation of CHOGM mandates and approve strategic plans, work programmes and budgets (in a two year cycle that is synchronised with CHOGMs). 45.4 The Board of Governors should review the implementation of CHOGM mandates, thus supplanting the functions of the Commonwealth Senior Officials Meetings in non-CHOGM years. The Board of Governors may meet outside the UK from time to time. 45.5 The Finance Sub-Committee (FSC) and the CFTC's Committee of Management (COM) should be dissolved and replaced by an executive committee of the Board of Governors, which should meet every quarter to oversee budgets and audit functions and make policy recommendations to the annual meetings of the Board. Its membership, like the present FSC and COM, should be geographically balanced and include the major contributors. It will be chaired by an official of a member country. 45.6 The Executive Committee of the Board of Governors should undertake as a matter of urgency a review of the adequacy of the ComSec budget and specifically the resource implications of the decisions of the CHOGM on the High Level Review. 45.7 The Commonwealth of Learning (COL), based in Vancouver, should retain its present governance structures. The Board of Governors of the Commonwealth Secretariat will receive reports from COL's Board periodically. COL and the Commonwealth Secretariat should regularly consult with one another and co-ordinate their work with a view to achieving better synergy, thus giving greater impact to the Commonwealth's education programmes. 45.8 In order to implement the recommendations of the HLG and the Coolum CHOGM mandates effectively, the Commonwealth Secretariat's structure should be streamlined and simplified to achieve greater cost-effectiveness and a more productive synergy between work in the political, economic, social and development sectors, along the lines of the recommendations of the CFTC Re-Think and the Draper Report on Change Management. The Secretariat should strengthen the quality and sustainability of its work by employing results-based management in all its programmes. The Commonwealth Secretary-General should be responsible for effecting the necessary changes, which should include strengthening the capacity for Good Offices, strategic policy development, and referrals (i.e. assist countries to access resources and assistance from other organisations), as recommended in recommendation 14.1 in Section III, and recommendations 29.2 and 31.2 in Section IV, respectively. 45.9 These new governance arrangements and changes to the Secretariat's structure should become effective as soon as practicable after the Coolum CHOGM starting in July 2002. (ii) Commonwealth Co-ordination 45.10 The Apia Committee (formerly the Commonwealth Agencies Consultative Committee, comprising the Commonwealth Secretariat, Commonwealth Foundation and COL) should be re-named as the Co-ordination Committee for Commonwealth Agencies (CCCA). Meeting every quarter, CCCA should be responsible for improving co-ordination and co-operation among Commonwealth organisations, with a view to developing joint programmes and reducing duplication of effort. Depending upon the subjects that it addresses, the Committee should invite other pan-Commonwealth bodies as well as NGOs to participate in its meetings. The Commonwealth Secretary-General should chair the Committee's meetings. The Chairpersons of the Secretariat's Board of Governors and its Executive Committee should also be members of CCCA. 45.11 The Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Foundation should avoid duplication of effort and seek greater co-ordination and synergy in overlapping areas. The Secretary-General, in consultation with the Commonwealth Foundation, should prepare a report on this for the consideration of the Secretariat's Board of Governors in December 2002. (iii) Mandates of Commonwealth Organisations 45.12 CHOGM remains the highest authority of the Commonwealth and as such has a responsibility to monitor respect for its mandates by any of the organs of the Commonwealth. They should operate within the framework of their respective mandates as prescribed by CHOGM taking into account that there may be a need to review the relevance of their mandates from time to time. 45.13 Sunsetting or review mechanisms should be integral to all future decisions to establish new Commonwealth bodies or programmes. The Secretary-General should constitute a committee of member governments to undertake a review to determine whether some Commonwealth organisations that were established at the request of Commonwealth governments for specific purposes may have outlived their original mandates, or whether their work could be integrated with the work of other bodies. The Committee should make recommendations to governments, which will be discussed at a special session during the Secretariat's Board of Governors meeting in December 2002. (iv) Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings (CHOGMs) 45.14 The format of CHOGMs should continue to be improved so as to minimise the time devoted to routine matters and maximise the time that Heads of Government have to discuss issues that are of collective interest. A representative of the incoming Chairperson-in-Office should chair the CHOGM Committee of the Whole. The Committee's Report on functional co-operation should be prepared and approved in London a month before CHOGM by officials from High Commissions (and officials who wish to come from their respective capitals). This would help to reduce the pressure on delegations at CHOGM as well as enable them to go to CHOGMs fully briefed on the content of the functional co-operation Report. (v) Ministerial Meetings 45.15 As far as possible, Ministerial meetings should be convened in the margins of other major international meetings. The Secretary-General should explore opportunities for greater interaction with Commonwealth Foreign Ministers, who presently do not meet separately as a group. He should ascertain whether Foreign Ministers see value in meeting regularly, preferably in the margins of another international meeting, in order to discuss matters of collective interest. 45.16 The host government should chair the Committee of the Whole and Communiqué drafting committee at future ministerial meetings. (vi) Role of CHOGM Chairperson-in-Office 45.17 The Chairperson-in-Office could usefully play a representational and political role, complementing that of the Secretary-General, which will help to raise the profile and stature of the Commonwealth. While the role of the Chairperson-in-Office should not be defined too rigidly, he/she could reinforce the Good Offices role of the Secretary-General and contribute to strategic advocacy of Commonwealth positions in high-level international fora. The Foreign Minister of the country of the Chairperson-in-Office should be a member of CMAG. A representative of the incoming Chairperson-in- Office should chair the CHOGM Committee of the Whole. VI. PEOPLE TO PEOPLE LINKS: THE COMMONWEALTH'S CIVIL SOCIETY 46. There are a large number of officially recognised pan-Commonwealth professional associations and NGOs that have either a general or specialised interest in different Commonwealth activities. We believe that the networks for sharing expertise, information and experience among these organisations, people-to-people links, and the existence of a wider Commonwealth civil society are valuable assets that give the Commonwealth a depth and reach that is unique. 47. Sport also plays a particularly valuable role in promoting people-to-people links across the Commonwealth, especially through events like the Commonwealth Games, which are also a celebration of the Commonwealth's rich diversity. The pursuit of excellence in sport at the Games also helps to inspire and engage the attention of younger people in all parts of the Commonwealth. 48. The strengthening of links between the official and the non-governmental Commonwealth, and among Commonwealth NGOs, will help to give Commonwealth activities greater impact. 49. We recommend that: 49.1 The Secretary-General and the Director of the Commonwealth Foundation should, in consultation with the Chairpersons of the Secretariat's Board of Governors and its Executive Committee, discuss with interested Commonwealth professional associations and NGOs how they could be organised into different focus groups, based on their functional interests, that could be invited to interact with the proposed Co-ordination Committee for Commonwealth Agencies (CCCA) (see recommendation 45.10 in Section V). This will help to develop greater synergy among these various organisations. 49.2 There should be greater opportunities for Commonwealth NGOs to co-ordinate their programmes more effectively with official Commonwealth programmes and objectives, such as through meetings of the CCCA and the consultative mechanisms of the Commonwealth Foundation. The objective is to create, where mutually beneficial, greater synergy and partnership between the official and the unofficial Commonwealth. 49.3 There should be stronger and better-structured relations between the official and the unofficial Commonwealth. Taking into account the findings of the joint study on this subject by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Foundation, the Secretary-General, in consultation with member governments, should propose a set of sound and consistent criteria for the accreditation of organisations as pan-Commonwealth NGOs, and for their accreditation to Commonwealth Ministerial meetings and CHOGM, for the approval of the Commonwealth Secretariat's Board of Governors in December 2002. These criteria, at the very minimum, should require organisations seeking accreditation to be committed to the Commonwealth's fundamental values; to represent the true diversity of Commonwealth countries; to be transparent in their activities; and to be open to all Commonwealth members. 49.4 All Commonwealth governments and organisations should seek appropriate opportunities to promote and publicise the fundamental principles and achievements of the modern Commonwealth, to foster greater awareness of the value of the association. Where feasible, Commonwealth governments should designate specific Commonwealth Centres within their countries to disseminate information about the Commonwealth and organise special events on occasions like Commonwealth Day. 49.5 The Commonwealth family needs to do more to highlight the value of the association among young people in education and other target groups such as Commonwealth parliamentarians and the media. In consultation with member governments, the Secretary-General should draw up a plan for this purpose for the approval of the Secretariat's Board of Governors in December 2002. 50. As we look to the new century, we are conscious of the great strengths of the Commonwealth derived from its historical role in the struggle against colonialism and racism, the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa, and the support for the economic and social advancement of our countries. The Commonwealth is now an association in which all members relate to each other on a basis of equality and friendship, and which re-dedicates itself to promote cultural diversity and fight the scourge of racism and racial discrimination. 51. Today, the Commonwealth is in the forefront of the international community in promoting democracy, the rule of law, good governance, gender equality and sustainable development. It is a source of valued help to all of its members, both large and small. It has also acquired a special role, in particular, as an advocate of the interests of small states and Least Developed Countries. We cherish its capacity for conflict resolution and peace building, and its ability to act as a bridge builder across racial, political and economic divides. We believe that these qualities are of great value to us in tackling the challenges of the new century and building a world of tolerance, peace and security. We reaffirm our commitment to live by its values and principles. We believe that the proposals in this Report will enable the Commonwealth to deploy the available resources to best effect and play a distinctive and enlarged role in the decades ahead for the benefit of all its peoples. Coolum THE COMMONWEALTH MINISTERIAL ACTION GROUP REALISING MILLBROOK
1. CMAG is a vital source of support and encouragement to member countries in upholding the fundamental political values of the Commonwealth as established in the Harare Declaration. 2. CMAG, with the support of the Secretary-General, should provide assistance and advice to Commonwealth countries as they seek to protect and promote democracy, democratic processes and institutions which reflect national circumstances, just and honest government and fundamental human rights, including equal rights, the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary, freedom of expression and the enjoyment of such rights by all individuals regardless of gender, race, colour, creed or political belief. 3. In this regard, the Commonwealth Secretary-General might be asked to undertake periodic reviews of the Commonwealth's success in adhering to the fundamental political values of the Harare Commonwealth Declaration. 4. CMAG should support and reinforce the preventive work undertaken under the Good Offices role of the Secretary-General and solicit, where appropriate, the intervention of the CHOGM Chairperson-in-Office, whose ministerial representative should be invited to join CMAG. 5. Reinforcing the interlinkage between democracy and economic and social progress and acknowledging the importance of enhancing the capacity of countries to support democratic processes, CMAG should provide broad strategic direction to the Secretary-General for the provision of technical assistance required by member governments to strengthen the rule of law, independence of the judiciary, democratic frameworks, free media and policing capacity 6. As agreed by Heads of Government at Millbrook, CMAG should take appropriate steps to express the collective concern of Commonwealth countries and to encourage adherence to the fundamental political values of the Commonwealth where a member country is perceived to be in persistent or serious violations of those values, most obviously where a democratic government has been overthrown, but also where the Commonwealth may be constructively engaged to prevent situations of concern from deteriorating further. (1This paper was agreed by CMAG Ministers and submitted by CMAG's Chairman to the Chairman of the High Level Review Group in September 2000, for its consideration.) Such steps could include:
In circumstances of continuing serious breaches of the Commonwealth's fundamental political values, CMAG may consider recommending to Heads of Government that the member country concerned be expelled from the Commonwealth. 25 August 2000 Youth for the Future
Recommendation 41.1 of the High Level Review Group (HLRG) calls for the establishment of a pan-Commonwealth Youth for the Future program, an initiative composed of four related components for technology and skills transfer and for fostering youth enterprise. At Singapore in July, HLRG Senior Officials agreed that a Task Force would develop operational guidelines to assist members wishing to participate in Youth for the Future. The HLRG Task Force met twice in London (on 3 August and 7 September). It invited all Commonwealth member governments to attend and share their views and consulted relevant interested Commonwealth organisations. The Task Force's report to HLRG Senior Officials contains a summary description of Youth for the Future as well as operational guidelines. The initiative will strengthen Commonwealth members' ability to address poverty reduction by tapping the skills, knowledge and energy of a highly motivated younger generation, and by promoting adherence to the Commonwealth's fundamental values. A further Task Force meeting after the Coolum CHOGM will be convened by the Commonwealth Secretariat to operationalise Youth for the Future. As the focal point for facilitating the initiative, the Secretariat would provide information on its main elements, oversee and ensure equitable coverage amongst members and organisations through the website. Information describing how individual Commonwealth members and organisations plan to participate in Youth for the Future is provided in a separate document.
YOUTH FOR THE FUTURE A PAN-COMMONWEALTH INITIATIVE FOR THE 2002 COOLUM CHOGM
Youth for the Future takes up this challenge by mobilising young people to transfer needed technology and skills and by fostering youth enterprise. Youth for the Future uses already established and functioning international programs, giving them greater coherence and impact. Most of the resources provided by participants in Youth for the Future are used for "on the ground activities" rather than for program management. THE OBJECTIVES OF YOUTH FOR THE FUTURE The initiative aims to promote adherence to the Commonwealth's
fundamental values and to strengthen Commonwealth members' ability
to address poverty reduction and the 2015 Millennium Development
Goals by tapping the skills, knowledge and energy of young people
and enhancing their social and economic integration across the Commonwealth.
KEY FEATURES OF YOUTH FOR THE FUTURE Youth for the Future will operate as a decentralised program open to all Commonwealth members, citizens and organisations. It will comprise contributions in the form of access to eligible international programs in:
To be eligible, participating programmes and activities must fit into at least one of these strands and confer international development benefit to Commonwealth members. The Commonwealth Secretariat would facilitate and promote Youth for the Future among the membership, including convening meetings as needed to achieve full implementation of the scheme. The Commonwealth Secretariat will convene annually a special Consultative Meeting to review progress, to look at ways to enhance efficiency and effectiveness, and to determine program eligibility. If the need arises, the Secretariat will convene other meetings of participating members and organisations in London to ensure timely and effective decision-making. A Secretariat-based website would describe the scheme and coordinate the involvement of Commonwealth members, organisations and citizens. The website would channel specific requests via hotlinks to participating organisations and programs. The initiative will promote North-South and South-South collaboration across the Commonwealth. Under the initiative activities that address the grave challenge to youth of HIV/AIDS would be encouraged. Participants will report annually to the Secretariat on their contributions to Youth for the Future. The Secretariat will report to the 2003 CHOGM on the achievements of the scheme. Wider support for the initiative through corporate sponsorship will be explored and developed. Taken together, the four strands of Youth for the Future
establish a new overall direction for Commonwealth support for youth,
mobilising resources available in national programs and revitalising
the Commonwealth Youth Program. Youth for the Future - a Pan-Commonwealth Scheme Draft Guidelines for Participating Members and Organisations Introduction The guidelines address how a decentralised youth volunteering, mentoring, leadership and enterprise development schemes, with wide Commonwealth appeal, would work by building on existing international programs. Open to all Commonwealth members, citizens and organisations, Youth for the Future will promote North-South and South-South collaboration across the Commonwealth, complementing existing youth exchange schemes. It will strengthen the coherence of current youth programs with Commonwealth objectives, and build Commonwealth capacities by tapping more fully the talents of the highly motivated younger generation. Activities which address the grave challenge to youth of HIV/AIDS are encouraged. Participating in Youth for the Future Member countries and Commonwealth organisations can participate in any of the four components of Youth for the Future:
To be eligible, participating programs and activities must fit into at least one of these components and confer international development benefit to Commonwealth members. Youth for the Future Website A Youth for the Future website will be developed to describe the scheme and to coordinate the involvement of Commonwealth members, citizens and organisations. Hardcopy and CD ROM versions of the website information will be available for prospective participants without access to Internet. The website will list the participating programs under each component of Youth for the Future. It will enable members who have identified specific needs to link with participating programs, providing a quick and efficient vehicle to respond to needs and enhanced communication between member countries. The website will do this by channelling requests via hotlinks to the participating organisations. Component 1: Commonwealth Youth Enterprise Development (CYED) Youth enterprise development represents a promising avenue for young people to create their own sustainable livelihoods, particularly when supported by appropriate programs and a supportive policy environment. Successful enterprise development programs such as those run by the CYP and other agencies provide valuable lessons on " what works" for the promotion of youth livelihoods in the private sector and beyond. As an example of successful programming in this area, the CYP aims to assist young people to:
Training in business skills, mentoring and other business support services; encouragement to financial institutions to provide affordable credit; promotion of inter-firm networks and self-help associations; facilitating learning and exchange of experience among practitioners; and making greater use of new and traditional information and communications technologies are all areas in which national and multilateral efforts can constructively be mobilised. To respond more comprehensively to the challenge of youth entrepreneurship, CYP will expand and re-focus resources to the Youth Enterprise Development program in all Commonwealth regions. To strengthen impact and sustainability, the program could seek private sponsorship or contributions in kind. As part of their contribution to Youth for the Future members may wish to contribute to strengthening and expanding the CYP and other agencies' enterprise development programs. Component 2: Commonwealth Youth Volunteering (CYV) Young people have recognised strengths in mastering and transferring new technologies. The Youth Volunteering component focuses on transferring new technologies through the skills of young volunteers. This component uses current international volunteer programs as the main vehicle. New technologies are defined broadly to include not only Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) but also innovative engineering, renewable energy and medical technologies etc, as well as new policy and practical approaches for achieving poverty reduction and sustainable development outcomes. Youth Volunteers with relevant skills and abilities are placed in short-term assignments working with local counterparts in their area of expertise. To consolidate the skills transfer and strengthen human and professional linkages, youth counterparts can be offered short internships in workplaces specialising in the relevant new technology. Component 3: Commonwealth Youth Mentoring (CYM) Building youth skills is a key to accelerating economic development and reducing poverty. However, young people in developing countries need more than just skills to succeed. They need guidance and support to plan and achieve their goals. CYM will link experienced mentors with relevant experience with groups of young people in Commonwealth developing countries. This component builds on the existing infrastructure of executive service and volunteering schemes. For example, youth mentors, sometimes with the assistance of a youth volunteer, work with groups of young people to transfer business planning and practical skills or in sports programs that foster youth and community development. Youth mentors are placed in short-term assignments in countries across the Commonwealth. Component 4: Commonwealth Youth Leadership (CYL) To promote excellence in governance, a small core of prestigious youth leadership awards are offered to outstanding young Commonwealth citizens. In addition to obtaining postgraduate qualifications, awardees are offered opportunities to experience governance practice to prepare them for leadership roles in their home country. CYL Awards -will draw on national programs with each Commonwealth providing member having the flexibility to structure and offer youth leadership awards which fit their existing scholarship schemes. South-South Participation South-South participation should be an element of all Youth for the Future components. The Commonwealth Secretariat will promote and facilitate such South- South participation. Role of the Commonwealth Secretariat Following CHOGM, the Secretariat would take on the main role in facilitating and promoting Youth for the Future. As a focal point for facilitating the scheme, the Secretariat would provide information on it to all interested members, organisations and individuals through maintaining and updating the Youth for the Future website. Australia will provide technical support for the first two years of the website's operation. Participating countries and organisations will report annually to the Commonwealth Secretariat on the costs and benefits (outcomes) of their participation in Youth for the Future. The Secretariat will convene annually a special Consultative Meeting on Youth for the Future of all participating members and organisations. The annual Consultative Meeting will be the main mechanism to review progress, to look at ways to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the scheme, and to determine program eligibility. If the need arises, the Secretariat will convene other meetings of participating members and organisations in London to ensure timely and effective decision-making. The Secretariat would report to the 2003 CHOGM on the achievements of Youth for the Future. Statements from Heads of Governments in support
for the Youth for the Future Initiative |
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