About us
As directed by Commonwealth Heads of Government in November 2009, the Commonwealth Secretariat has joined with other Commonwealth agencies and a leading technology company, Open Text, to create a major new platform for Commonwealth co-operation and collaboration, called Commonwealth Connects. ‘Connects’ provides a pan-Commonwealth gateway to information and knowledge resources across the Commonwealth, as well as a dynamic platform to support collaborative networks and online service delivery.
Commonwealth Connects is designed to assist in the broader process of Commonwealth reform and renewal by providing an effective technology tool for:
- showcasing the Commonwealth and its values
- increasing public visibility and outreach
- personalising the Commonwealth connection for individuals
- enabling coherence and co-operation among Commonwealth agencies
- supporting professional partnerships and collaboration.
The Commonwealth brings together 54 members countries that co-operate together in the interest of their people. Every country has signed up to a shared set of values outline in the Singapore and Harare declarations. These include respect for human rights and the rule of law, and holding free and fair elections.
The Commonwealth Secretariat, founded in 1965, is the main intergovernmental agency and central institution of the people. It is the organisation`s civil service and supports member countries through three main programmes:
