Pakistan Joins Commonwealth Countries In Backing A New Strategic Plan For Shared Prosperity

MIRPUR (AJK) , (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point news - 11th Sep, 2025) Commonwealth high commissioners, including representatives from Pakistan, have approved a five-year strategic plan for the Commonwealth Secretariat to deliver focused support for the 2.7 billion people it serves, according to the Commonwealth Secretariat.

"To set the stage for a new era of effective results, the Secretariat developed its strategic plan covering the period 2025 to 2030, after extensive consultations with member countries, sister and accredited organisations, development partners, staff members and other stakeholders, said a press release issued by the Media and Public Affairs wing of the Commonwealth Secretariat received by the media here.

Early in her tenure in April 2025, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Hon Shirley Botchwey, outlined a bold and ambitious vision for the Secretariat, the executive arm of the 56-member association.

The new strategic plan will make the Commonwealth more focused, strategic and impactful in its delivery for the benefit of the people and planet, it is mandated to serve.

New strategic direction unveiled - since under the new plan, the Secretariat, with strategic partners, will focus on three key interrelated pillars with a cross-cutting focus on young people, women and small states, that will create the conditions for fast-tracking development across the Commonwealth.

A key component includes a focus on expanding youth digital skills through distance education, youth entrepreneurship and STEM education for girls.

The three pillars include democratic resilience: supporting human rights, the rule of law, good governance, and strong elections; economic resilience: pushing for fair access to finance, inclusive trade, and sustainable debt; and environmental resilience: taking action on climate change, protecting the ocean, and promoting sustainable use of natural resources.

Across these pillars, the performance enablers and accelerators, such as a reformed Secretariat, technology and partnerships, are being prioritised to strengthen programme delivery.

In particular, the Secretariat will leverage its partnerships to tackle complex challenges, such as health, education and addressing the needs of people with disabilities.

In her remarks to the High Commissioners at an extraordinary meeting of the board of Governors on 10 September 2025, the Commonwealth Secretary-General said:

“In a world of disruption, the Commonwealth is needed more than ever, but we can only meet that need if we are willing to evolve. 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. That’s why this strategic plan is grounded in the enduring values of our Charter, but shaped by the real, present demands of our time.”

After the meeting, the Chair of the Board of Governors, Titilupe Fanetupouvava'u Tu'ivakano, the High Commissioner of Tonga to the UK, shared that the strategic plan was a big step forward in terms of collaboration between member countries and the Commonwealth Secretariat.

The new plan had a focus on small island states, which we, in the Pacific region, were especially grateful for, she said, adding, "We have agreed to a comprehensive plan that benefits people within our 56 member countries.”

The way ahead to realise the strategic plan’s ambitious goals, programme, the teams have developed detailed projects to translate these plans into concrete and coordinated actions for building a more resilient Commonwealth.

Over the next few weeks, the Commonwealth Secretary-General will embark on a series of engagements to share the Secretariat’s new direction with other strategic partners and stakeholders.

She is scheduled to travel to New York later this month to lead the Secretariat’s delegation to the Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting on the margins of the UN General Assembly, the press release added.

APP/ ahr/378