Islamabad (TDI): Pakistan has joined other Commonwealth nations in backing a new five-year strategic framework aimed at strengthening cooperation and delivering more targeted benefits for the 2.7 billion people living across the 56-member association.
According to a statement from the Commonwealth Secretariat, the plan for 2025–2030 was shaped through wide consultations with member governments, accredited organizations, development partners, and other stakeholders. It marks the first major policy direction under the leadership of Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey, who assumed office earlier this year.
The roadmap seeks to make the Secretariat’s work more focused and impactful by concentrating on three core areas: democratic resilience, economic resilience, and environmental resilience. These pillars will guide initiatives ranging from promoting human rights and good governance to supporting fair trade, sustainable finance, and urgent climate action. Youth, women, and small states have been identified as cross-cutting priorities across all programs.
Key features of the plan include investment in digital skills for young people, expansion of distance learning opportunities, support for youth entrepreneurship, and encouragement of girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Partnerships will also be leveraged to respond to complex global challenges in education, health, and the inclusion of people with disabilities.
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Addressing the Commonwealth’s Board of Governors on September 10, Secretary-General Botchwey said the association must adapt quickly to a rapidly changing world. “From climate to trade, democracy to youth empowerment, the challenges facing our members are complex and interconnected. The world is moving fast, so we must keep pace,” she stressed.
Titilupe Fanetupouvava’u Tu’ivakano, Tonga’s High Commissioner to the UK and Chair of the Board of Governors, welcomed the new strategy, noting its particular emphasis on small island states. She described the adoption of the plan as “a significant step forward in collaborative action between member countries and the Secretariat.”
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Implementation of the strategy will involve detailed programs and coordinated projects designed to translate its ambitions into concrete results. In the coming weeks, Secretary-General Botchwey is expected to engage with additional partners and stakeholders to share the Secretariat’s new direction. Later this month, she will lead the Commonwealth delegation to the Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
