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Workers at a grain godown near New Delhi, India. Chris Easter / © Commonwealth Secretariat

Financing for development

In support of the ‘financing for development’ agenda, we publish research and mobilise civil society to contribute innovative solutions to the economic challenges facing developing nations.

Developing countries, by their nature, lack vital investments in roads, schools, hospitals, factories and other forms of infrastructure. Without ready access to resources, progress towards the vital Millennium Development Goals can be arduous and unsteady.

In Monterrey, Mexico, in 2002, world leaders resolved to address the challenge of financing for development. The Monterrey Consensus encompassed debt relief and financial crises, foreign direct investment and issues of trade, all areas of concern to Commonwealth civil society.


Breaking the taboo

Working in support of the financing for development agenda, we encourage evidence-based research and informed policy discussions on new and innovative financial instruments.

Helping civil society to influence proposals for finance reform is a top priority, which we support through analyses of key issues and trends. We equip society with briefing and policy papers on the links between trade, finance and governance.
 

 

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Recent highlights

> In July 2008, we published Breaking the Taboo, a major study outlining perspectives from African civil society on financing for development. The study provides a snapshot of the context of the financing for development debate and explores some of the financing mechanisms available today.

> In Trinidad and Tobago, in 2009, civil society groups came together at the Commonwealth People’s Forum to analyse the global financial crisis, looking at the actions and transparency of their governments. Participants examined financial flows between nations and made recommendations on institutional reform.

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