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Commonwealth finance ministers have recognised the potential of technology to improve debt transparency while urging closer collaboration to resolve tax challenges arising from growing digital commerce.

Trade wars, protectionism, and nationalist rhetoric are combining to weave the possibility of a nightmare debt crisis that could be worse than any previously experienced. Global borrowing is now at the highest levels since the 1950s – and history suggests we should take this as a warning that a debt crisis could be looming.

Several Commonwealth countries are now equipped to use the Commonwealth’s new debt management software, following a two-week hands-on programme for officials in London.

Trade ministers from across the Commonwealth today made a commitment to resist all forms of protectionism, and to work urgently together towards reforming the World Trade Organisation, which sets the global rules for international trade.

Commonwealth finance ministers will meet in Washington D.C. on 17 October 2019 to discuss coordinated interventions to prevent future debt crises. The meeting will be chaired by the Finance Minister of Cyprus, Harris Georgiades, under the theme ‘Preventing Debt Crises: The Roles of Creditors and Debtors’.

The blistering pace of innovation in financial services has seen the emergence, in the past two decades, of an array of new technologies deployed into the market – and new companies using those technologies – in more than a hundred countries around the globe.

A blockchain is a growing list of records, called blocks, linked together by unbreakable cryptography. Among its many applications, this technology is used to underpin financial products and services including digital currencies such as Bitcoin and Litecoin. 

A national e-commerce strategy launched this week in Yaoundé aims to help Cameroonians take advantage of opportunities offered by the digital revolution.

Micro, small and medium businesses (MSMEs) in Sri Lanka are gearing up to take advantage of new proposals that will boost participation in global e-commerce.

Finance ministries and central banks from eastern and southern Africa have been given expert training to prepare them for switching to the Commonwealth’s new state-of-the-art public debt management system.

Business leaders say entrepreneurship must be the backbone of future policy solutions if Asia’s youth boom is to bring collective benefits to the region.

The Commonwealth Public Debt Management Forum is an excellent opportunity for debt managers, experts and practitioners to discuss issues crucial to countries’ future growth and development, says Uganda’s High Commissioner.

A new state-of-art Commonwealth debt management system will help countries to proactively manage their public debt portfolio, according to Secretary-General Patricia Scotland

Senior trade officials wrapped up two days of consultations in Singapore, focussing on how Asia-Pacific countries could better harness trade policy to strengthen global trade links and step up participation in regional and global value chains.

Young business leaders from 17 African countries have explored fresh solutions to overcome employment and entrepreneurship challenges at a workshop in Tanzania

Committed to achieving $2 trillion worth of intra-Commonwealth trade by 2030, policymakers from across the Commonwealth agreed to use good regulatory practices (GRPs) to boost trade and help businesses flourish.

Trade officials have concluded a meeting in London, where they created a roadmap to fully leverage the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda (CCA) to boost trade benefits for 2.4 billion people.

Botswana has launched its new five-year export strategy targeted at dynamic and sustainable economic growth, with the help of the Commonwealth.

Senior policy-makers, business leaders and owners will meet in Kenya next month to promote trade and investment between small and medium businesses across the Commonwealth

In the Pacific, coconut is king. Known as the ‘tree of life’, locals make use of every part of the tree to survive – the fruit for eating, husks for fuelling fires, fronds for making multiuse baskets, and the trunk for building houses

Commonwealth countries must rethink their approach to delivering public services if sustainable development is to be achieved, according to the Commonwealth Secretary-General.

South Africa and the United Kingdom will jointly lead a Commonwealth initiative to boost digital connectivity amongst member countries, it was announced today at Africa Tech Week.