The Commonwealth is a champion of small states, at the forefront of policy, research, and advocacy. Nowhere is this more evident than its leadership on climate change. 31 Commonwealth members are small states, and they face a unique set of challenges: limited economic and human resources, climate change issues, inadequate access to international systems, and political constraints imposed by their reliance on larger states for support.

Small states consistently punch above their weight on the world stage, and have been key in the establishment of institutional mechanisms such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The event will be a high profile panel discussion which shall:

• Share the constructive role Small States have played in Commonwealth;
• Highlight various challenges faced by Small States within the Commonwealth; and
• Provide ways the Commonwealth can support Small States to harness their potential.

The event aligns with the CHOGM 2018 theme, ‘Towards a common future.’ Small States constitute a critical component in the Commonwealth and this event will highlight how they can be supported to make the most positive impact and to meet the challenges they uniquely face. It also aligns with Commonwealth Secretariat’s strategic plan (2017-18) which aims to ‘champion the cause of small and other vulnerable states.’ Read More