The talking club

What does the UN stand for? It stands for sustainable global peace and order through conflict management and resolution as well as a shared quest for human development. What does the EU strive for? It strives for increased economic integration of the countries located in the European region. What is the overriding objective of the WTO? Its main objective is liberalisation of trade by removing tariff and non-tariff barriers. What does the World Bank do? It provides development aid and technical assistance for poverty alleviation in the developing countries? Why is the IMF relevant to developing countries? It comes to their rescue when they are faced with an acute balance of payments problem.

We can identify each global organization with some broad objective it stands for. But what is the main goal of the Commonwealth? It is not easy to identify a single overriding objective that might explain its existence in the modern-day world. In order to find out its core values and objectives, one has to delve into its history.

The majority of the citizens of the Commonwealth countries are unable to identify with the objectives of the organisation. A few thousand scholarships, the Commonwealth Games, and the heads of states meeting (CHOGM) every two years are the few – and probably the only things – the Commonwealth can be credited with.

I refer to a survey that was conducted by the Royal Commonwealth Society in 2009, the results of which were very interesting. About 30 percent of the British in the age bracket of 18-34 years could not identify even a single member of the Commonwealth countries. Seventy-nine percent in the same age bracket could not identify one activity that the Commonwealth undertakes.

The problem with the Commonwealth is that it talks of high but broad and generalized ideals like human rights, democracy, reducing inequality etc. But when it comes to action, it becomes an easy victim of vested interests. This is visible from the current session the CHOGM which concluded on November 17. The theme of the summit was ‘Growth with equity’. Did this theme need academic discussion at the level of heads of governments?

The real question at the level of the CHOGM should have been how to ensure inclusive growth at the global level and identification of role of Commonwealth for this to happen. Are the rich members of the Commonwealth ready to part with some portion their GDP (say one percent) for helping the poor of the least developed countries? Are they ready to provide some tangibles to these countries for poverty and inequality reduction? Are they in a position to help out the poor members of the Commonwealth, given the Euro crisis and economic slowdown in Europe? Perhaps not!

The Commonwealth has become more of a talking club for the member countries. The Colombo communiqué issued on November 17 is a case in point. The leaders of member states acknowledged, welcomed, noted, recalled, emphasised but hardly committed themselves to doing anything concrete. For example in paragraph 6 of the communiqué, the heads of governments emphasise the importance of democracy, human rights, international peace and security, tolerance, respect and understanding, freedom of expression, separation of powers, rule of law, good governance, sustainable development, protection of the environment, access to health, education, food and shelter, gender equality, young people, the needs of small and vulnerable states, and the role of civil society – a big wish list to put it mildly.

Undoubtedly these are noble values and objectives. But the point is: how will they be translated into reality? How will health, education, food and shelter and the needs of the small and vulnerable states be met? How will poverty be reduced? How will sustainable development be achieved? How will the right to development be realised?

The problem with the Commonwealth is that it affirms dozens of goals but does not come up with the means of implementation. International trade and migration are considered two important routes to poverty alleviation and development but the communiqué talks very little about them and that too in a noncommittal way. Are the rich members of the club ready to reduce tariff and non-tariff barriers to promote intra-Commonwealth trade? There hardly seems to be any possibility of such magnanimity on the part of the developed members of the Commonwealth. Just talking about political ideals is not sufficient. What the Commonwealth needs to do is ensure balance between its political and economic aspects.

The Commonwealth’s reiteration of good political wishes and similar colonial experience will not render it relevant to the global system. The relevance of the Commonwealth will continue to erode if it fails to offer something productive and tangible to the people. Boosting intra-Commonwealth trade can be one such area.

The Commonwealth Business Council, created in 1997 to promote trade, investment and business among the Commonwealth members, needs to be invigorated. According to a study, there is a considerable advantage to be found in the Commonwealth as ‘commonwealth factor’ can make investment and trade 10-15 percent cheaper among the member countries.

In the context of international trade, trade facilitation and technical assistance should become priority areas. These are some low hanging fruits which would not require much finances or resistance from domestic vested groups. For example, harmonisation of customs clearance procedures and removal of non-tariff barriers should be the focus of the Commonwealth Business Council or promoting trade. A generalized system of preferences for least developed and developing countries can be another area to actively work on.

The movement of persons and migration can turn out to be important pathways to development and poverty reduction. It requires removal of undue visa restrictions. Paragraph 85 of the communiqué highlights the importance of easy movement of the people of Commonwealth among the member countries and talks of the recommendations of the report on promotion of cross-border movement of Commonwealth citizens. However, once again, a noncommittal attitude regarding this is quite visible.

The Commonwealth needs to seize the opportunities provided by globalisation. It should work on tangible variables – meaning promotion of intra-Commonwealth trade and investment and unhindered movement of people among member countries. The Commonwealth must reinvent itself with more emphasis on trade and economic links. The relevance of the Commonwealth in this fast-changing global world hinges on the role it can play to improve people’s lives. Issuance of communiqués, however attractive and wishful they may be, will not work without spelling out clear timelines for translation of such wishes into concrete actions.

The process of reinvention means that Commonwealth members, especially the developed countries, need to demonstrate strong political will to transform the grouping. Unless the Commonwealth addresses the imperatives of globalisation, economic cooperation and human development, this grouping of former British colonies will continue to remain on the periphery of the global governance system.

The Commonwealth countries have a challenge at hand which can be addressed only through dynamism, creativity, innovation and strong political will. There is a clear need for commitment by political leaders to promote intra-Commonwealth trade and remove hindrances to cross-border movement of people.

The writer is a graduate of Columbia University. Email: jamilnasir1969@gmail.com