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Four steps to writing your best short story

Posted on by Commonwealth Foundation

For over a decade, the Commonwealth Short Story Prize has celebrated the best unpublished short fiction from across the Commonwealth. Each year, thousands of writers take up the challenge, but learning how to write a compelling and engaging short story can be harder than it seems. 

As entries opened for the 2026 prize, we invited previous winners and judges to share practical writing exercises and short story prompts to help writers plan and develop their story. 

This article brings together four ten-minute writing prompts designed to inspire your storytelling, strengthen your creative process, and build confidence as a writer:

  1. How to start a story
  2. Bringing characters to life
  3. How to structure your plot
  4. How to edit your story

Whether you’re preparing an entry for the Commonwealth Short Story Prize or simply looking for creative writing inspiration, these prompts will help you get started. 

How to start a story

Chanel Sutherland, 2025 Overall Winner

Starting writing is often the most difficult step. It can be challenging to have confidence in your voice. Chanel Sutherland, the overall winner of the 2025 Commonwealth Short Story Prize, has advice for finding your flow and trusting your intuition and confidence as a writer. Her winning story sought inspiration from her ancestors, harnessing her own perspective on the world.

Prompt #1: How to start a story

Write for 10 minutes (without stopping to edit) in response to this sentence:

‘Only I can tell this story because…’

Don’t worry if the answers feel too small, strange, or ordinary. Let it expand: What have you seen that others haven’t? What moment, image, or sound has stayed with you that no one else could describe in quite the same way?

Try to get specific: write about a single object, memory, or detail that lives only in your experience. 

Using Chanel’s prompt helps to shift focus away from ‘big’ ideas to authentic ones, and reminds writers that our lived experience is enough. Take the raw material you create and use it to sow the seeds of your next project.  

Bringing characters to life

Joshua Lubwama, 2025 Regional Winner for Africa

With the beginnings of a story, you can turn your mind to the characters who might populate it. Joshua Lubwama, 2025 Regional Winner for Africa, prioritised characterisation in his story. He was inspired by Toni Morrison, who wrote that ‘The plot is the character, the character is the plot’. Bearing these words in mind, he created complex, dimensional and truly interesting characters in his winning story.

Here is a 10-minute exercise to help you build nuanced characters.

Prompt #2: How to bring your characters to life

              1. Run a line down the middle of a blank page. 
              2. List a character’s strengths and redeeming qualities on the left, and their weaknesses and flaws on the right

Contradictions help to make characters feel truly human. Complex or even unlikeable characters can evoke the strongest feelings of empathy from readers. Consider which qualities you find endearing or annoying in people and use this to breathe life into your characters. Consider also their habits and idiosyncrasies. What strange details might help to personify and make your characters feel memorable and unique?

How to structure your plot

Louise Doughty, Chair of 2026 Judging Panel

With fleshed-out characters and the beginnings of a story, what follows is the question of ‘what happens next?’ Setting up the structure of your story and crafting a narrative can be a daunting task. Louise Doughty, author and Chair of the 2026 Judging Panel, has a prompt to use a single word to develop an interesting plot.

Prompt #3: How to structure your plot

              1. Choose one word to define your character’s journey (e.g. ocean, cycle, chaos). 
              2. Draw a shape inspired by the patterns, feelings and sensations you associate with that word.
              3. Re-organise your character’s journey using that shape – keep editing the shape as necessary. 

There is no single right way to structure a story, with endless possibilities for creating your narrative. Look to what surrounds you – natural environments, cultural contexts and personal experiences. 

How to edit your story

Faria Basher 2025 Regional Winner for Asia

Producing a draft is only part of the story-writing process. With a full story in front of you, your job now shifts from writing to editing. For short stories with limited space, this is especially important. Every word you put onto the page must earn its right to be there. Faria Basher, 2025 Regional Winner for Asia offers guiding questions to consider when editing your short story. 

Prompt #4: How to edit your story

              1. Story-level: which techniques, characters, and plotlines truly serve your story, and which don’t? 
              2. Sentence-level: Can I use fewer words to greater effect?

A draft is the place for all your initial ideas to seed and grow, a rich, fruiting garden for you to explore all the possibilities of your story. Editing, on the other hand, is a process of refining, weeding and shaping. Be ruthless and unafraid to cut back on your words, ensuring that everything has intention to form a cohesive, harmonious whole. 

It might be a cliché, but it’s true. When editing, don’t be afraid to kill your darlings. It may feel painful at first to cut out your hard-written words, but your work is likely to be better for it.

Thank you to Chanel, Joshua, Louise, and Faria for sharing these prompts.

We hope you find them useful, and we look forward to reading your work when the prize opens in September.

Seasonal message from the Director-General

Posted on by Commonwealth Foundation

As this year ends, I want to share my warmest wishes with the people across the Commonwealth, and with our valued member countries, for a happy and safe holiday season.

It’s been a great privilege to lead the Commonwealth Foundation’s work since being appointed Director-General earlier this year. Assuming responsibility for convening and creating space for the priorities and voices of 2.7 billion citizens has been a deep personal honour. I am very grateful for the warm welcome and deeply inspired by the work ahead.

My first months in this role have been focused on listening and learning from our civil society partners, member countries and sister organisations. The challenges we face are real—from shrinking civic space, increased economic uncertainty and inequality, and the accelerating climate emergency. Yet across the Commonwealth, citizens and communities continue to demonstrate that they can drive meaningful change when they work together.

‘Across the Commonwealth, citizens and communities continue to demonstrate that they can drive meaningful change when they work together.’

One such example was July’s landmark International Court of Justice ruling, which called on states to prevent climate change and was made possible by the tireless activism of civil society groups in the Pacific, working alongside their member country partners. In October, thousands signed up to our Critical Conversation online event to explore what the ruling could mean in practice.

I was inspired in particular by hearing Vepaiamele Grace Trief, a 16-year-old Ni-Vanuatu writer and climate advocate, recite My Testimony live at the event, a poem sharing her perspective on the ruling that was also presented at The People’s Museum for Climate Change in The Hague, the Netherlands. Now you can watch it too:

The desire for citizen participation in governance has never been stronger. Our most recent grants call received thousands of applications, including a significant increase from small and vulnerable states. The Foundation remains committed to supporting smaller and less well-established civil society organisations—groups whose work is often courageous and under-resourced, yet vital to democratic life.

‘Creative expression also continues to play a vital role in challenging shrinking civic space.’

Creative expression also continues to play a vital role in challenging shrinking civic space. The 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize closed with an astounding 7,806 entries, including significant increases in non-English languages and participation from almost every Commonwealth country. It continues to ensure that it reaches, promotes and supports new and emerging writers to bring forward a wealth of voices from across the Commonwealth.

This year also marked an important cultural milestone with the announcement of the first Commonwealth Poet Laureate, Selina Tusitala Marsh, on 1 July. I encourage you to explore the work Selina has published during her laureateship so far in our online magazine, adda.

The Foundation’s unique role of bridge-building between government and civil society offers significant scope for growth and ambition as we start to look ahead and prepare for the launch of our new Strategy in July 2026.

We are also preparing for a strong and impactful Commonwealth People’s Forum in Antigua and Barbuda next November, shaped by the issues that matter most to citizens. We will strive to engage organisations across the Commonwealth, amplifying the work of civil society and promoting less well-established and smaller organisations where possible. We hope you can join us, in person or online. Register here to learn more.

Wishing you a peaceful holiday season and a hopeful start to the new year.

Razmi Farook is the Director-General of the Commonwealth Foundation

How to Stop Worrying and Start Loving the Translation of Your Story

Posted on by Arunava Sinha

Dear writer, you’ve just written a story in a language of your choice. Probably the one you live in. And now it’s going to be translated into a different language—one that may well have little in common with yours. From origins to syntax, from pitch to structure, it may be quite a different beast.

And then there’s the reader of the translated story. Possibly someone from a different part of the world, without access to the knowledge and cultural signs that you take for granted in your own reader. However carefully the words and phrases are translated from your language to this new one, you wonder whether the implicit elements will be carried across too. It’s not unusual for you to be nervous.

As a translator, I hear your worry. I have my own concerns too. When I’m translating, say, a Bangla story into English, I am full of anxiety: Will I be able to take across everything that this story written in a language I live in—and not just write or read—into the language I’m translating into? And then, what of the English I’ll use, which is my own in a unique way but perhaps not the English the reader of the translated story is entirely accustomed to?

Finding the equivalent of words and phrases is the least of the problems. To be sure, sometimes the language I’m translating into will not have precise equivalents, but the meaning can always be conveyed by opening up the word or phrase and passing on some of the context when needed. The ‘stealth gloss’, as it’s often referred to, weaves these explanations into the text, maintaining the tone, without making them seem like footnotes.

Some translators also leave those particular words and phrases untranslated, to indicate to the reader that they represent things outside the scope of experience and knowledge in the new language. The key thing, however, is that the distance created this way between the reader and an unfamiliar concept should not alter the reading experience.

The first thing I focus on when translating is the relationship of the ‘source’ language in the story to its standard version—the one that the majority reads and understands easily. Does the story use the language differently? Is it experimental? Does it try to do new things? Does it work in an unusual register? I try to ensure that the language I use in my translation maintains the same relationship with the standard version, such as it is, of the ‘target’ language. Changing this relationship is bound to take away a great deal from the story.

Next, what is the reading experience of the original? Does the reader sail through the text? Or are they deliberately made to stop and think about what they’re reading? My endeavour is to reproduce the same experience as far as possible.

Finally, there’s the question of how the story is being read by the translator before taking it into a new language. This is a fraught question. My own practice is not to read a story in only one way, but to enable my translation to be read in all the myriad ways in which the original can be read. The idea is not to narrow down the options, but to preserve them or even widen them in some cases.

For me, it is important that the translation does not create the illusion that the story began life in the language it’s been translated into. But I don’t deliberately distort the use of the English language to remind the reader of this. The fact is that the original language works with a different set of notes, which the writer uses to compose a work that is much like a piece of music. Translation is like playing those same notes but on a different instrument, which adheres to the specifications of this new instrument and does not try to sound like the original one.

In sum, your story, dear writer, does not exist in just the dictionary meaning of the words alone—it is all these other elements that make it what it is. And while the translated version will never be identical to the one you wrote, if only because the new language has its own way of working, the translated version will give it a new life that can be as vibrant as the one that you gave it. Trust the translator.

Arunava Sinha translates classic, modern, and contemporary fiction, non-fiction and poetry from Bengali and Hindi into English. He also translates fiction and poetry from English and Hindi into Bengali. Over 96 of his translations have been published so far in India, the UK, the USA, and Australia. He teaches at Ashoka University, where he is also the co-director of the Ashoka Centre for Translation, and is the Books Editor at Scroll.in.

This blog has been translated into Bengali, Chinese, French, Greek, Kiswahili, Malay, Maltese, Portuguese, Tamil and Turkish. Thank you to Arunava and our other translators—respectively Christina Ng, Edwige Dro, Lina Protopapa, Richard Mabala, Pauline Fan, Matthew Borg, Silvia D.Schiros, Janani Ambikapathy, and Berrak Gocer—for making these insights more widely accessible.

Selina Tusitala Marsh appointed the inaugural Commonwealth Poet Laureate

Posted on by Commonwealth Foundation

Award-winning Pacific writer Professor Selina Tusitala Marsh ONZM, FRSNZ has been appointed by the Director-General of the Commonwealth Foundation, Dr Anne T. Gallagher AO, to the brand-new, two-year post, placing creative expression at the heart of the Commonwealth’s work.

Selina Tusitala Marsh is the history-making first-ever Commonwealth Poet Laureate and will serve in this role until 31 May 2027. As Poet Laureate, Marsh will work on behalf of the entire Commonwealth family, connecting its 2.7 billion citizens through poetry. She will craft original poems for flagship Commonwealth events including Commonwealth Day, the Commonwealth People’s Forum, and Ministerial and Heads of Government Meetings. 

Professor Marsh will also advise on the Commonwealth Foundation’s creative programming—as the principal agency for Commonwealth culture—and will appear in person at the Commonwealth People’s Forum and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua & Barbuda in 2026.

Read the Commonwealth Poet Laureate’s Inaugural poem ‘Uncommon Banyan’

Amplifying the people’s voice through art 

From performing for Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey to mentoring new writers across the Pacific, Marsh has demonstrated how poetry can travel from palace to village hall—and back again—carrying urgent conversations about identity, climate justice, and belonging. Her appointment signals a major step in the Foundation’s drive to ‘turn supporters into change-makers’ by connecting hearts, challenging assumptions, and awaken imaginations through creativity and storytelling.  

Selina Tusitala Marsh on her appointment 

‘I am deeply honoured to accept this role as the inaugural Commonwealth Poet Laureate. In Samoan, we say “O le tele o sulu e maua ai figota” – “The more torches we have, the more fish we can catch”. Poetry is our torch, illuminating paths between our diverse cultures and histories.’

‘The Māori proverb from Aotearoa New Zealand goes “He toi whakairo, he mana tangata” – “Where there is artistic excellence, there is human dignity.” This profound truth guides my vision for this role. Through the elevation of our creative voices, we affirm our shared humanity across the Commonwealth. When we honour the artistry within our communities— whether it flows from Samoa, my mother’s island, or New Zealand, where I was born and grew up—we recognise the inherent dignity and worth of every person whose story deserves to be told.’

‘When Her Majesty charged me with fostering unity through verse in 2016, I felt the weight and wonder of words that bridge worlds. Today, I accept this torch with alofa (love) and renewed commitment to amplify the voices that heal, challenge, and unite our Commonwealth family. Together, we will kindle more torches, casting light on the stories that connect us all, celebrating the artistic excellence that affirms our collective human dignity.’

Dr Anne T. Gallagher AO, Director-General, Commonwealth Foundation 

‘It is through poetry that we can learn best about ourselves and each other. Poetry helps us make sense of our fragile world. It is the language of love and dreams, the language of despair and desire, of protest and rebellion. At the Commonwealth, we have come to understand that poetry – indeed creativity in all its forms – is not an embellishment of the Commonwealth story—it is a catalyst for justice, understanding, and hope. Selina Tusitala Marsh embodies that truth. Her poetry travels effortlessly from the smallest community to the global stage: illuminating the concerns and aspirations of our 2.7 billion citizens and challenging all of us to listen more closely. There could be no finer inaugural Commonwealth Poet Laureate.’ 

Hon Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Commonwealth Secretary-General 

‘It is with great pleasure that I congratulate the first Commonwealth poet laureate, Selina Tusitala Marsh, and applaud the Commonwealth Foundation for this bold initiative. Our boundless appreciation for culture, in all its diversity and richness, is one of the things that bind us together as people of the Commonwealth. Aside from being entertaining, art helps to illuminate important issues, galvanise action, nurtures inclusive societies, offers economic opportunity and preserves our identities. We must celebrate its importance.’

Professor Tusitala Marsh with Commonwealth Secretary-General Hon Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey and Commonwealth Foundation Director-General Dr Anne T. Gallagher AO at the Commonwealth Headquarters in Marlborough House, London

About Professor Selina Tusitala Marsh 

Marsh’s connection with the Commonwealth dates back to 2016, when she recited one of her poems at the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey. Most recently, she co-hosted the Commonwealth People’s Forum in Samoa.

Marsh previously served as New Zealand Poet Laureate from 2017 to 2019. She has published three award-winning collections of poetry and created the bestselling graphic memoir series Mophead, which swept New Zealand’s book awards in 2020, including the prestigious Margaret Mahy Book of the Year.  Marsh was the first Pacific Islander to earn a PhD in English from the University of Auckland, where she now lectures in Pacific Poetry and Creative Writing and co-directs the Centre for Arts and Social Transformation, championing arts-led approaches to justice, health, and well-being. 

  • Background: Samoan, Tuvaluan, English, Scottish, and French heritage; born in Auckland, 1971. 
  • Publications: Three acclaimed poetry collections (Fast Talking PI, Dark Sparring, Tightrope) and the multi-award-winning graphic memoir series Mophead. 
  • Honours: Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (2019); Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand (2019). en.wikipedia.org 
  • Performance highlights: Commonwealth Day Service (2016); Poetry Parnassus at the London Olympics (2012). poetryarchive.org 

Download a full biography and pictures of Professor Selina Tusitala Marsh here.

About the Commonwealth Foundation 

The Commonwealth Foundation is one of the three intergovernmental pillars of the Commonwealth of Nations, explicitly mandated by its member countries to advance the interests of Commonwealth civil society. Upholding a firm commitment to the principles and ideals of the Commonwealth, the Foundation seeks to nurture the growth of vibrant and free societies: championing the active and constructive participation of people in all aspects of governance. 

Contact: Leo Kiss, Communications Manager, Commonwealth Foundation – press@commonwealthfoundation.com

Razmi Farook appointed as Commonwealth Foundation’s Director-General

Posted on by Commonwealth Foundation

Following approval from its 51 member countries, Razmi Farook has been announced as the new Director-General of the Commonwealth Foundation, the Commonwealth’s agency for civil society. Ms Farook will assume the role on 1 September 2025 at the Foundation’s offices in Marlborough House, London.

Razmi Farook brings exceptional leadership experience from senior roles in civil society and intergovernmental organisations, including the United Nations, the International Federation of the Red Cross, and ActionAid International. Her career has focused on supporting marginalised and war-affected communities, advocating for equity, inclusion, and active civil society participation in governance and decision-making processes.

Ms Farook’s work includes leading humanitarian diplomacy with ASEAN and its member states on disaster resilience, managing complex humanitarian portfolios across Africa, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East, and most recently directing ActionAid’s Asia Region and Global Humanitarian Programmes. Her strong commitment to civil society, human rights, and sustainable development positions her uniquely to guide the Foundation’s future work.

‘Razmi Farook brings exceptional leadership experience from senior roles in civil society and intergovernmental organisations’

Dr Anne T. Gallagher AO’s distinguished tenure, which is now coming to an end as she completes her second and final term as Director-General, saw the Foundation navigate a challenging global environment, responding effectively to crises including Covid-19 and using these insights to reshape how it approaches resilience, civic space, and inclusive policy reform.

Since Dr Gallagher’s appointment in 2019, the Foundation has provided more civil society grants in more countries than ever before: 187 projects in 48 Commonwealth countries These vital initiatives have advanced health justice, climate justice, and freedom of expression in every Commonwealth region.

This period has also seen a major strategic expansion in the Foundation’s visibility and reach: its online audiences have increased more than two-fold as compared to the last strategic period and the Foundation received twice as many applications for grants in 2025 than in 2019. Notable achievements include influencing inclusive health policies in Kenya and Uganda, strengthening climate journalism and grassroots participation in United Nations Climate negotiations, and empowering marginalised voices through transformative arts initiatives in Tonga, Eswatini, and South Africa.

‘Since Dr Gallagher’s appointment in 2019, the Foundation has provided more civil society grants in more countries than ever before’

The Foundation also emerged as a leading civil society convener in intergovernmental spaces. Thousands of Commonwealth citizens helped shape policy recommendations presented at Commonwealth Intergovernmental meetings as part of the Foundation’s innovative Critical Conversations online events series—and People’s Forums in Rwanda and Samoa have redefined civil society engagement at the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

The Foundation’s creative approach brought new visibility to civil society voices, with photography exhibitions, creative videos, and poetry performances reaching millions. These efforts were especially impactful for small and vulnerable states, with tailored support helping local organisations to influence laws, policies, and international agreements. 

The Foundation’s Commonwealth Short Story Prize continues to flourish, receiving nearly 8,000 submissions annually from across the Commonwealth and significantly boosting the profiles of emerging writers—promoting diverse, local narratives on the global stage.

Reflecting on her tenure and Razmi’s appointment, Dr Anne T. Gallagher AO, the current Director-General of the Commonwealth Foundation, said:

‘It has been the honour of a lifetime to lead the Commonwealth Foundation during a time of extraordinary global upheaval. Amid shrinking civic space and deepening inequality, we held fast to our mission: to champion the voices of the people across the Commonwealth and to uphold the values and principles of the Commonwealth Charter. With our civil society and government partners—and a team of extraordinary talent and conviction—we delivered change that is not only measurable, but deeply meaningful. Together, we have shaped policy, shifted narratives, and expanded the presence of civil society in decision-making spaces that once felt out of reach.

Today, the Foundation stands more connected, more courageous, and more committed than ever. I leave with a deep sense of pride in what we’ve accomplished—and a profound sense of what still must be done. In a world that is fractured and uncertain, the Commonwealth has a unique responsibility—and opportunity—to stand for justice, equality, and democratic participation. I urge our Member States and civil society actors not just to defend civic space, but to reimagine it. Under Razmi’s leadership, I am confident the Foundation will continue to inspire that vital work.’

Dr Anne T. Gallagher AO, the Foundation’s current Director-General, is nearing the end of her second and final term

Chair of the Commonwealth Foundation’s Board of Governors, Her Excellency Winnie Anna Kiap CBE, said of the appointment:

‘I warmly congratulate Razmi Farook on her appointment as the new Director-General of the Commonwealth Foundation. Razmi’s extensive humanitarian and development expertise, particularly in civil society strengthening, climate justice, and inclusive governance, will undoubtedly enable the Foundation to thrive and evolve. Her distinguished career and demonstrated commitment to Commonwealth values are exactly what the Foundation requires to navigate and respond effectively to our shared global challenges. The three intergovernmental pillars of the Commonwealth—the Foundation, the Secretariat, and the Commonwealth of Learning—all now have newly-appointed leaders, and I look forward to seeing their continued and vital collaboration.’

On news of her appointment, Razmi Farook said:

‘I am thrilled to be joining the Commonwealth Foundation as Director-General, having committed so much of my career to working internationally to strengthen the role of civil society, support governments, and place communities at the heart of everything I do. I will relish the important platform the Commonwealth Foundation provides to build global civil society solidarity and intergovernmental cooperation, especially at this critical moment in history when our common values and principles are being put to the test.

It is my ambition to explore how we can harness the richness of the Commonwealth’s diversity and partnerships as a force for positive change and progress. I am committed to meaningfully engaging those at the forefront of the climate and health crises to find solutions to the urgent challenges they face—as well as continuing the Foundation’s critical work around promoting democracy, human rights, and peace. It is a great honour to lead the Foundation, and to be part of a transformative and inclusive multilateral platform at a time when global cooperation is needed more than ever.’

For more information

For further information about the Commonwealth Foundation, further comments, or photo requests, please contact Maria Reta Perez via press@commonwealthfoundation.com 

Notes

  • The Commonwealth Foundation is an intergovernmental organisation mandated by its member countries to advance the interests of Commonwealth civil society. The Foundation’s membership is separate from other Commonwealth agencies, but members must be Commonwealth countries in order to join the Foundation
  • The Commonwealth Foundation is one of the Commonwealth’s three intergovernmental agencies alongside the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth of Learning
  • The Director-General is responsible for all activities of the Commonwealth Foundation and reports to the Chair of the Board
  • Annual priorities of the Commonwealth Foundation are determined by a Board of Governors, comprising representatives of Commonwealth governments and High Commissioners based in London, civil society representatives, and the Commonwealth Secretary-General. The Chair of the Foundation is a distinguished private citizen of a Commonwealth country appointed by Heads of Government
  • The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is an annual competition which is free to enter for Commonwealth citizens.

Introducing our Civil Society Advisory Governors (2025-2027)

Posted on by Commonwealth Foundation

The Commonwealth Foundation works to advance the interests and needs of the people of the Commonwealth, through a rich combination of grants, platforms and partnerships.

The Foundation has always involved civil society closely in our work. We continue this fine tradition through our Civil Society Advisory Governors. This mechanism—known simply as CSAG—brings civil society representatives from each region of the Commonwealth into the heart of our work: standing shoulder to shoulder with our Member States in advancing the Foundation’s mission and shaping our future direction.

In 2022 the Foundation conducted a comprehensive review of the CSAG mechanism, which has now been in existence for many decades. Our goal was to reinvigorate CSAG in ways that matched the Foundation’s own path of growth. Under the new terms of reference that emerged from the review, we sought governors whose background and experience ensure they will make a genuine contribution to the Foundation’s programming, and whose connections will enable them to become champions of the Foundation and of Commonwealth values within their regions and networks.

The 2023-2025 CSAG cohort completed their terms of service. On behalf of the People of the Commonwealth we thank Dr Helen Kezie-Nwoha (Africa), Safaath Ahmed Zahir (Asia), Darrion Narine (Caribbean), Mario Gerada (Europe), and Dr Justin Koonin (Pacific) for their stellar contribution to the work of the Foundation.

We are delighted to announce that the Foundation’s Board of Governors has approved the appointment of the following persons as our Civil Society Advisory Governors for a two-year term from June 2025 to June 2027.

Dr Stellah Bosire (Africa) 

Dr Stellah Bosire, for Africa, is a doctor, lawyer, and advocate for equity and human rights. Her work spans health policy, gender justice, and climate activism, and she has engaged directly with both grassroots movements and global institutions. With deep ties to civil society networks across the continent—and as a board member of CIVICUS—she brings a valuable regional perspective and a sharp understanding of participatory governance.

Jacqueline Wong (Asia) 

Representing Asia, Jacqueline Wong is a passionate advocate for public health and social equity. She has led regional efforts to address non-communicable diseases and support ageing populations, while also contributing to global conversations on social justice and development. Her experience in policy forums ranging from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to the United Nations and the Group of Twenty will ensure she can bring a valuable regional and global lens to the Foundation’s work.

Richardo Aiken (Caribbean and the Americas) 

For the Caribbean and Americas, Richardo Aiken joins us a dynamic leader in youth and community engagement, with extensive experience designing initiatives that amplify local voices and promote inclusive development. He has worked with civil society organisations across the Caribbean and supported policy engagement through regional institutions. His collaborative approach and strong regional ties will be key as we prepare for the next Commonwealth People’s Forum in the Caribbean.

Dr Ilke Dağlı-Hustings (Europe)

For Europe, Dr Ilke Dağlı-Hustings brings extensive experience as a peacebuilder and development expert who has spent nearly 20 years advancing social cohesion and civic participation. As the Director-General of The Centre for Sustainable Peace and Democratic Development (SeeD), she has led projects that centre community voices in policymaking across Europe and beyond. Her combination of practical experience and systems-level thinking adds a valuable dimension to the Foundation’s engagement with European civil society.

Fuimaono Vaitolo Ofoia (Pacific)


And finally, for the Pacific, Fuimaono Ofoia is the Director of the Samoa Umbrella for Non-Governmental Organisations (SUNGO), where he works to strengthen civil society participation in shaping public policy. He brings a strong track record of regional collaboration on issues such as climate resilience, civic rights, and inclusive governance. Having played a key role in the delivery of the 2024 People’s Forum, he is well-placed to help shape the path to 2026.

Our new Civil Society Advisory Governors will play a critical role in the years ahead: not only advising on the Foundation’s continuous improvement, but also by contributing to the development of the programme for the next Commonwealth People’s Forum that will be held in Antigua and Barbuda in 2026.

The diversity and richness that our Civil Society Advisory Governors bring to our organisation will ensure that we remain connected and relevant; they are, after all, our bridge to the people of the Commonwealth—and we are committed to learning from them so they can guide and inspire our work.

You can find out more about our Governance and download the CSAG Terms of Reference here.

Publishing tips

Posted on by Nancy Adimora

These tips were originally shared during a workshop for shortlisted writers in the 2025 Commonwealth Short Story Prize.

Tip 1: Don’t just read books—read up on them

As writers, you often hear how important it is to read widely. But if you’re serious about building a career in writing, you need to go one step further: don’t just read the book, read around the book. Most readers dive straight into Chapter One, enjoy the story, and move on to the next book as soon as it’s done. But as a writer, your job is to approach books more critically and strategically.

Start by paying attention to the publishing details: who published it, what year it came out, and whether it was part of a particular imprint. These small details can tell you a lot about where your own work might belong.

Then, head to the acknowledgements section. This is a goldmine for writers. Many authors openly thank the people who helped bring their book to life—agents, editors, mentors, even supportive friends and writing groups. If a book resonates with you and feels like the kind of work you aspire to create, take note of the names mentioned.
You’re essentially discovering potential collaborators for your own journey—agents who might be a good fit, editors who work on books you love, and publishing professionals who understand your kind of storytelling.

Think of it as building your dream team. Reading this way gives you a deeper understanding of the ecosystem behind the books you admire, and it helps you approach your writing career with more clarity and direction.

Tip 2: Research the industry

Building on the first tip, it’s not enough to just understand who’s behind the books, you also need to understand the broader publishing world. That means paying attention to what’s happening in the industry from a commercial and strategic perspective.

One of the best ways to do this is by engaging with trade publications. If you’re in the UK, The Bookseller and BookBrunch are key. In the US, Publishers Weekly is the go-to source. Even if you’re not based in these regions, these platforms provide valuable insights into global trends, market shifts, and emerging conversations in publishing.

For example, if you notice repeated mentions of BookTok (the corner of TikTok dedicated to books), you might start thinking about whether having a presence there could help with your visibility. Or you might pick up on a surge in interest around genres like romantasy (the fusion of romance and fantasy). If that aligns with your own writing, you can start positioning yourself more strategically, perhaps pitching your work while interest is high or tailoring your submissions accordingly.

This kind of market awareness helps you make informed decisions about when and how to enter the publishing world. It also keeps you from operating in isolation. By tuning into the pulse of the industry, you gain a clearer sense of where your work fits and how to give it the best possible chance of success.

Subscribing to trade newsletters or checking these sites weekly can make a huge difference. It’s a small habit that builds your confidence, strengthens your strategy, and sets you apart from writers who aren’t paying attention.

Tip 3: Build your personal brand (yes, even if it feels cringe)

The phrase ‘personal brand’ can feel uncomfortable, especially in creative circles, but it’s incredibly important to think about how you present yourself as a writer. I’m not suggesting that you need to be performative or overly polished, because you don’t.

Building your personal brand is about clarity, credibility, and making it easier for people to understand what you do and why your work matters.

Here are four key areas to focus on:

3.1 Write a strong, memorable bio
Your bio is often the first impression you’ll make. It’s not enough to say you ‘love storytelling’ or are ‘passionate about reading’ — every writer says that. Instead, use your bio to show that you take your craft seriously.

Mention achievements like being shortlisted for the 2025 Commonwealth Short Story Prize. That’s a major indicator of quality. Include any publications your work has appeared in, and articulate what your writing tends to explore (e.g. ‘My work often centres on identity, migration, and memory’). You can also add a line about what you do outside of writing if it connects to your creative work (e.g. being a teacher who writes YA fiction). Keep it concise but purposeful.

3.2 Create a professional website
Even a simple, one-page website is a powerful tool. Think of it as your digital home – a place where your work lives in one central space. Include your bio, professional photo, contact info, and links to published pieces. It shows you’re taking your writing seriously and makes it easy for editors, agents, or readers to find you and your work.

3.3 Choose one platform to show up on

You don’t need to be everywhere. In fact, it’s better if you’re not. Choose one platform that feels authentic and sustainable. Substack is fantastic for writers who want to share thoughts, essays, or behind-the-scenes process and build a mailing list. Instagram can work well if you love visual storytelling or want to be part of the #bookstagram or writing communities. The goal isn’t just self-promotion, it’s also about connection and consistency. Show up where it feels right, and do so with intention.

3.4 Keep submitting to prizes and lit mags

One of the best ways to build your credibility as a writer is by submitting your work regularly to competitions, residencies, and literary magazines. Even shortlisting (as you already have!) signals to the industry that your work has merit. Over time, this kind of recognition builds trust and momentum and it often opens doors to new opportunities.

Remember: your personal brand doesn’t need to be flashy, it just needs to be thoughtful, clear, and rooted in your unique voice and values.

Tip 4: Perfect your book pitch

As a writer, you’ll often find yourself in spaces where someone asks, ‘So, what’s your book about?’ This is your chance to make someone care about your work in just a few sentences. And while it may seem daunting, it’s a skill you can absolutely develop with a little structure and practice.

First, be specific. Saying ‘I’m writing a thriller’ is too broad. Try: ‘I’m working on a psychological thriller about a grieving mother who starts receiving letters from her dead daughter’. Instantly, it’s more intriguing and more memorable.

Second, give your book a working title if you have one, and include a clear, one-line synopsis that explains the central premise. This isn’t the full plot but it should be just enough to hook someone’s interest.

Third, use comparable titles. This is a great way to position your book in someone’s mind. Think: ‘It’s like Big Little Lies meets My Sister, the Serial Killer.’ Referencing well-known titles helps your listener quickly understand tone, genre, or themes and where your book might fit in the market.

Finally, practice. Whether you’re talking to agents, editors, or other writers, having a polished pitch will help you speak about your work with clarity and confidence. It also shows you’ve taken the time to understand your project and how it might be received.

You can refer back to the presentation for pitch examples I shared, but the most important takeaway is this: don’t wait until you’re asked. Prepare your answer now and own it.

Tip 5: Sit down and write the book!

This is the most important tip of all, because none of the others matter if you don’t have a story to share.

In the presentation, I mentioned that the first step to engaging with the publishing industry is simply having a finished manuscript. Publishing is a commercial business, and while there’s space for creativity and experimentation, you still need a complete product to offer.

The only way to get there? You have to sit down and write.

Daily writing is a habit shared by countless successful authors. It doesn’t need to be perfect. It doesn’t need to be public. But it does need to happen consistently. I often refer to an interview I did with author Chika Unigwe, who shared that she aims to write 1,000 words a day. Why? Because in 60 days, she has 60,000 words which is a full first draft.

It’s a brilliant approach because it takes the guesswork out of it. You’re no longer waiting for inspiration to strike. You’re working with intention, breaking the book down into manageable chunks. Maybe for you it’s 1,000 words a day. Maybe it’s 500, or 2,000.

The number doesn’t matter as much as the discipline.

And remember: your first draft doesn’t need to be good. Its job isn’t to impress anyone. Its job is to help you understand the story—to get it all out, raw and unfiltered, so you can shape it into something stronger later. Writing is rewriting. But you can’t rewrite what doesn’t exist.

So before you worry about agents, publishers, websites, or bios—make sure you’ve carved out the time and space to write. Every day, even just a little. That’s where the real work begins.

Bonus tip: Don’t forget to have fun!

This one didn’t come up in the presentation, but it’s just as important as everything else: enjoy the process.

Writing is hard, yes—but it’s also magical. You’re pulling an entire world out of thin air and shaping it into something real. That’s no small thing. So don’t let pressure or perfectionism steal the joy of creation. Laugh at the weird ideas. Play with your characters. Let yourself wander and explore.

There will be days when it’s tough, but there should also be moments when you feel lit up by what you’re making. So try not to lose sight of that. Do your best, stay grounded in your passion, and remember why you started writing in the first place.

Nancy Adimora is an award-winning publishing consultant, working at the intersection of creativity and culture.

Image: Unsplash

Her Excellency Winnie Anna Kiap CBE appointed Chair of the Commonwealth Foundation

Posted on by Leo Kiss

Following approval by Commonwealth Heads of Government last week, Her Excellency Winnie Anna Kiap CBE has been announced as the new Chair of the Commonwealth Foundation, the Commonwealth’s agency for civil society. 

The Chair of the Foundation is a distinguished private citizen of a Commonwealth country appointed by Heads of Government. As Chair, Her Excellency Winnie Kiap will lead Board meetings that govern the Foundation and support its future direction. She succeeds Dato’ Sudha Devi K.R. Vasudevan, who has served with distinction since 2020. 

The Commonwealth Foundation is one of the Commonwealth’s three intergovernmental agencies with a mandate to support Commonwealth civil society and, through that work, to advance the interests of the Commonwealth’s 2.7 billion citizens. 

The Foundation delivers an annual grants programme that supports civil society to engage with governments to advance participatory governance, democracy, and human rights. It also administers a creative programme showcasing Commonwealth culture—from writing to filmmaking—including the renowned Commonwealth Short Story Prize. Through a range of initiatives, such as the Commonwealth People’s Forum and the Critical Conversations online event series, the Foundation amplifies the voices of the People of the Commonwealth, enabling them to shape the policies and decisions that impact their lives. 

Her Excellency Winnie Kiap brings extensive leadership and governance experience to the role. She served as Papua New Guinea’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 2011 to 2022, where she also represented Papua New Guinea at the International Maritime Organization and Chaired the Commonwealth Secretariat Board of Governors. Before her appointment as High Commissioner, she was Papua New Guinea’s longest-serving and first woman Cabinet Secretary and worked in consultancy roles for Non-Governmental Organisations promoting gender-inclusion.  

Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, James Marape, had this to say of the appointment:

‘The appointment of Her Excellency Winnie Kiap as Chair of the Commonwealth Foundation Board is a historic achievement. It recognises the professional capabilities of one of our most senior diplomats and elevates the presence of the Pacific in global leadership roles. This is a proud moment for Papua New Guinea and a landmark achievement for career women in our country and the region.’

Director-General of the Commonwealth Foundation, Dr Anne T. Gallagher AO, said: 

‘I am delighted to welcome Her Excellency Winnie Kiap to the Commonwealth Foundation. Her appointment comes at a critical time as we work to deepen the engagement of civil society with governments across the Commonwealth. Her Excellency’s wealth of experience and her distinguished career in diplomacy and governance will provide invaluable leadership to the Foundation as we navigate the challenges and opportunities ahead.’ 

The outgoing Chair of the Board of Governors, Ambassador Dato’ Sudha Devi K.R. Vasudevan, who has now completed her second and final term, said of the appointment: 

‘I extend my warmest congratulations to Her Excellency Winnie Kiap on her appointment as the new Chair of the Commonwealth Foundation. Her exemplary leadership and dedication to the Commonwealth will undoubtedly guide the Foundation to even greater achievements in the coming years.’ 

The Foundation welcomes Her Excellency Winnie Kiap’s historic appointment as Chair of our Board. Her extensive diplomatic and governance expertise will be instrumental as we continue to champion the voices of the People of the Commonwealth in 2025 and beyond. 

For more information 

For further details about the Commonwealth Foundation, additional comments, or photo requests, please contact Leo Kiss, Knowledge, Learning and Communications Manager, at l.kiss@commonwealth.int. 

Notes 

Annual priorities of the Commonwealth Foundation are determined by a Board of Governors, comprising representatives of Commonwealth governments and High Commissioners based in London, civil society representatives, and the Commonwealth Secretary-General. The Chair of the Foundation is a distinguished private citizen of a Commonwealth country appointed by Heads of Government. 

The future of the Commonwealth and the next Secretary-General

Posted on by Commonwealth Foundation

In September 2024, six weeks before Member States decided who would be their next Secretary-General, the Commonwealth Foundation co-hosted a debate between the three declared candidates: Mamadou Tangara of The Gambia, Shirley Botchwey from Ghana, and Joshua Setipa of Lesotho.  The debate, which was held at Chatham House in London and moderated by esteemed broadcast journalist Zeinab Badawi, attracted a full house and captivated thousands more watching online.

In the lead-up to the debate, we reached out to thousands of civil society representatives for their questions about, and visions for, the future of the Commonwealth. Four pressing questions emerged from this engagement, focusing on reform, reparations, freedom of expression, and the role of civil society. We posed those questions to the candidates and published their unedited responses online.

Below are the responses of Shirley Botchwey (SB) from Ghana, who, on 26 October, was elected to the post of Secretary-General. Her answers provide unique insights into her plans and aspirations for the future of the Commonwealth.

The Foundation looks forward to mediating future engagement between the next Secretary-General and Commonwealth civil society. In the meantime, we invite all those who care about the future of the Commonwealth and its identity as an organisation that exists for the people, as well as for Member States, to read and disseminate the document that distils the voice of the People on that future. We also encourage you to watch the document’s companion video.

There has been some appreciation among the candidates for Secretary-General of the need to change how the Commonwealth Secretariat functions. What would be your priorities in your first hundred days?

SB: My first 100 days will be largely informed by the roadmap that I intend to develop, as a product of a formal transition process, involving the best minds and talents across the Commonwealth, including representation from civil society groups, women, youth academia and the business sector. Working with the incumbent Secretary- General and the Commonwealth Secretariat, the transition team will help draft proposals and actions, identifying timelines, resources needed, including types of expertise and funding needed to shape programmes to meet the transformative vision that emerged from my campaign. The roadmap will focus on Democracy, Commonwealth Values, and Realizing the Democratic Dividend, Trade and Investment, Youth, Education, Skills, Innovation, and Start-ups, Climate Change, Small Island Developing States & Small States and  Managing Resources for an Effective Commonwealth Institution.

What would you expect to be visibly different about the Secretariat within the first two or three years of your term? In other words, how would you measure your success in this area?

SB: We need a united Commonwealth to rally around the goal of transformation, both in terms of resilience building across our countries and the ability of the Commonwealth Secretariat to support that goal. That requires political will and funding from all Member Countries.

You have supported reparations for historical harms associated with slavery and colonialism. How do you think the Commonwealth could take this forward in a practical way?

SB: There are serious processes underway today in international and multilateral institutions we belong to, including the United Nations, the Africa Union and CARICOM for Reparative Justice. The Commonwealth should not duplicate those processes. It can however be part of the policy dialogue and reflect their outcomes in programming. It is important to note that our success in realizing reforms in the global finance and governance architecture, in addressing the debt crises in Commonwealth countries and in agreeing to a new development cooperation model that works for both rich and poorer States, contributes to realizing reparative justice.

You have been explicit in your support of freedom of expression throughout the Commonwealth. What would that support look like, in practice? 

SB: Today, the world is facing the challenge of making technology work for strengthening democracy, including safeguarding democracies, communities and individuals from hate speech, disinformation and misinformation calculated to undermine democratic freedoms, including freedom of expression. The Commonwealth Secretariat should be a leader in sharing best practices and promoting Commonwealth-wide standard setting for protecting and promoting freedom of expression, while developing targeted approaches to regulate and prevent abuse. As Secretary-General, I would use my good offices to ensure support for legitimate expression. The Commonwealth could also provide support for human rights defenders, activists, and journalists through legal assistance, asylum, or other protective measures when they face persecution for their work.

You have also voiced your explicit support for the role and importance of civil society in the Commonwealth. What immediate steps would you take to enhance the standing of civil society in the Commonwealth system?

SB: I am committed to establishing more structured, more accessible regular, formal consultative meetings with Civil Soceity Organisations (CSOs) to give them greater influence in programming and implementation. As part of my vision for strategic partnerships, supporting the empowerment of civil society at country level will be a major objective. This will extend the collaboration between the Secretariat and civil society beyond those entities affiliated to the Commonwealth to local NGOs, especially to strengthen good governance. With a more enhanced resource envelope, we shall allocate greater financial support and technical assistance ato CSOs, including grants, training programs, and access to resources that help civil society organizations improve their capacity to advocate effectively and engage with governments. I will also work with member states to ensure that laws governing civil society organizations are supportive of their work.  By strengthening partnerships with CSOs and fostering an environment where their contributions are valued, we can work together to build a more responsive and resilient Commonwealth that empowers its people at all levels.

The future of the Commonwealth and the next Secretary-General

Posted on by Commonwealth Foundation

At the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa this October, the Commonwealth will elect its seventh Secretary-General, marking a pivotal moment in its history. To set the stage for this decision, on September 11, 2024—just six weeks before the vote—the three declared candidates for Secretary-General gathered at Chatham House in London. This dynamic event, moderated by esteemed broadcast journalist Zeinab Badawi, attracted a full house and captivated thousands more watching online.

In the lead-up to, during, and following the debate, the Commonwealth Foundation reached out to civil society across the Commonwealth, inviting their voices and visions for future leadership. Thousands responded, highlighting priorities that matter to them and the broader Commonwealth. From these conversations, four pressing questions emerged, focusing on reform, reparations, freedom of expression, and the role of civil society.

The three candidates—Mamadou Tangara of The Gambia, Shirley Botchwey from Ghana, and Joshua Setipa of Lesotho—were each invited to submit their perspectives on these issues. Below are the unedited responses from Mamadou Tangara and Joshua Setipa, offering unique insights into their plans and aspirations for the future of the Commonwealth. We’ve copied the candidate’s answers exactly as we’ve received them.

There is some appreciation, among the candidates, of the need to change how the Secretariat functions. What would be your priorities in your first hundred days?

Tangara (The Gambia): I believe that the Commonwealth is a great recognition of the significance of firmly supporting shared values, ethos and aspirations in the manners we handle and address our sustainable development objectives. The recent global pandemic and the consequent challenges have significantly highlighted the importance of governments strengthening their pulling capacities to create solutions to problems existential to the prosperity of the peoples and nations of the Commonwealth. As the majority of the member states are small states, it is also important that the Commonwealth strengthens its capacities to constantly provide effective pathways to respond to the major challenges facing them.

Ultimately, in my first hundred days, the work that will be deployed will focus on further building an institution with the competencies, institutional processes and structures to provide viable platforms for discourse and genuine efforts in responding to the complex challenges faced by the Commonwealth of Nations. There must be a diligent and collective commitment by the governments and the Secretariat to create institutional interlocutors to develop partnerships and create impetus for the Commonwealth to contribute to the discourse and solutions on global developments.

The Commonwealth is built by a great constituent of sovereign member states. The Secretariat should be the locomotive through which the decisions and programmes made by the Member States are efficiently implemented. My underlying emphasis on this dynamic would be the pursuit of an efficient synergy in the statutory relationship between the Member States and the Secretariat. This positive relationship will be indispensable taking into cognisance the growing common challenges to the Member States. The following will form the key outcomes of the first 100 days after I am appointed the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations:

  1. Initiate the process for comprehensive review and dialogue with the Member States to define and strengthen the political processes to implement the strategic and long-term programmes of the Commonwealth.
  2. Launch a comprehensive review of the corporate structures and functional arrangements of the Secretariat. It will be impossible to further build the Commonwealth as a visible and dynamic institutional actor if the competencies, corporate practices and financial sustainability of the Secretariat are not continuously addressed.
  3. Seek to reposition the Commonwealth as a strategic institutional partner in giving political support to various intergovernmental organizations in addressing regional and global challenges affecting the Member States.
  4. Engage member governments and grassroots actors to enhance the visibility of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth needs to be perceived as a credible convergence of Member States motivated by the objective of shared growth and prosperity. Relatedly, the Commonwealth communication strategy would be reviewed to use all collaborative levers for the Commonwealth to be widely viewed as an institution genuinely focused on creating beneficial partnerships and collaboration to handle contemporary challenges and opportunities.
  5. Collaborate with Member States in framing effective political and support programmes to promote governance, youth empowerment, gender mainstreaming, and quality health and education services.
  6. Advance the agenda for climate justice, energy transition, trade development and development financing that adequately accommodates the concerns of the Member States, the urgency for creative solutions and, promote formidable political support to the commitments made on climate change mitigation and adaptation.
  7. Create a broad platform for dialogue with diverse and relevant stakeholders in advancing the agenda for reparative justice for the member states.

Setipa (Lesotho): In my first 100 days, I propose to undertake the following:

  • Critically review all current initiatives to confirm alignment with mandates arising from CHOGM.
  • Review all existing policy tools to ensure that they are fit for purpose.
  • Review current reporting tools to enhance visibility and transparency in the Secretariat work.
  • Review and rationalise existing partnerships.
  • Convene a summit with the Commonwealth of Learning and the Commonwealth Foundation to identify joint strategies to amplify impact and deliver jointly including resource mobilisation.
  • Establish a resource mobilisation unit in the Secretariat and seek in kind support from member countries for technical skills.
  • Review and rationalise the current leadership structure of the Secretariat including by introducing 3 Deputy Secretaries Generals drawn from across the regions of the Commonwealth.
  • Initiate a review of the Secretariat’s conditions of employment to ensure their alignment with global best practices to ensure that the Commonwealth Secretariat becomes an employer of choice.

Botchwey (Ghana): My first 100 days will be largely informed by the roadmap that I intend to develop, as a product of a formal transition process, involving the best minds and talents across the Commonwealth, including representation from civil society groups, women, youth academia and the business sector. Working with the incumbent Secretary- General and the Commonwealth Secretariat, the transition team will help draft proposals and actions, identifying timelines, resources needed, including types of expertise and funding needed to shape programmes to meet the transformative vision that emerged from my campaign. The roadmap will focus on Democracy, Commonwealth Values, and Realizing the Democratic Dividend, Trade and Investment, Youth, Education, Skills, Innovation, and Start-ups, Climate Change, Small Island Developing States & Small States and  Managing Resources for an Effective Commonwealth Institution.

What would you expect to be visibly different about the Secretariat within the first two or three years of your term? In other words, how would you measure your success in this area?

Tangara: I am committed to ensuring that the Commonwealth Secretariat realize, in the two or three years of my appointment, these key ambitions:

  1. A dynamic vision and processes for the Secretariat to deliver on its strategic mandate including a comprehensive review of the conditions of service of staff members. This will also include mainstreaming the culture of accountability to the Member States and implementing the programmes of the Commonwealth.
  2. Improved relationship between the Secretariat and the Member States through constituted interlocutors including the Governing Board. This is pivotal in creating a strong bridge to reinforcing the oversight mandates of the various statutory bodies within the Commonwealth.
  3. Implemented a strategy to diversify the resource mobilization capacity of the Secretariat through collaboration with the member states. This agenda will be supported by logical accountability mechanisms in the management of the resources of the Commonwealth.
  4. Regular and predictable engagements between the Secretariat and the various national, regional and global actors. This will be complemented by the Secretariat creating strategic dialogues with the various regional and global actors to address shared challenges and opportunities. The Secretariat shall also create collaborative platforms with the group of Commonwealth Ambassadors/High Commissioners in strategic jurisdictions to create necessary partnerships to advance the agenda of the Commonwealth.
  5. Robust partnerships with civil society and other pertinent non-state actors in creating platforms for inter-civilizational dialogues, advancement of youth and gender empowerment, and creating the space for Commonwealth citizens to view it as an entity belonging to its sovereign members and a credible institutional conduit to realize shared ambitions.

Setipa: A key deliverable after the first two years will be a heightened level of transparency in relation to the programmes and activities of the Secretariat. Furthermore, the relationship between the Secretariat and the Board of Governors will be significantly improved. In addition, there will be a visible alignment of all teams within the Secretariat in relation to the mission statement and the role and expected input from each team. I will also institutionalise regular open town hall meetings to reinforce transparency and team spirit. In short, there will be visible unity of purpose across the Secretariat.

Botchwey: I expect to see jobs in the Commonwealth Secretariat re-profiled to respond to the goals of transformation and resilience, an infusion of the best of the Commonwealth’s talents through in-kind secondments, Programme design and implementation through innovative strategic partnerships, especially with other Commonwealth institutions and a new and more consultative as well as accountable relationship with the Board of Governors and national institutions. I also expect to see resource mobilization targets, consistent with programming requirements, fully achieved.

What would you need from Member States to make this work?

Tangara: As I mentioned previously, the Commonwealth is formed by sovereign Member States and in this circumstance, the Secretariat is required to fully implement their decisions and directives. Therefore, I expect that the Member States, through the various statutory avenues, will persistently provide oversight, directives and support to the Secretariat in implementing the programmes of the Commonwealth. This symbiotic approach with the Secretariat is indispensable for the Commonwealth to be successful.

Setipa: To achieve the above, I will require Member States to recommit supporting the Secretariat through financial resources and in-kind support, particularly as it relates to secondment of technical expertise. A commitment by all members to meet their financial obligations to the Secretariat is key to the success of reforming and strengthening the Secretariat.

Botchwey: We need a united Commonwealth to rally around the goal of transformation, both in terms of resilience building across our countries and the ability of the Commonwealth Secretariat to support that goal. That requires political will and funding from all Member Countries.

You have supported reparations for historical harms associated with slavery and colonialism. How do you think the Commonwealth could take this forward in a practical way?

Tangara: The slave trade was simply one of the most difficult chapters of human history and colonialism only further compounded the difficult realities faced by the Member States. Consequently, the historical harms of the slave trade and colonialism must be discussed through the prism of creating credible avenues for urgently delivering justice and comprehensively addressing the concerns of the affected peoples and countries. Under my leadership, the Secretariat, through the mandate of the Member States, shall support the initiatives to advance the agenda for reparative justice. The Secretariat would also be an effective convening platform for constant and genuine dialogues with concerned stakeholders on reparative justice.

Setipa: The issue of reparatory justice has been debated for a number of decades and naturally, the Caribbean and Africa have been leading this discussion. The discussions have evolved from the initial focus of a narrow focus of financial compensation for historical injustices committed by colonial powers to the current discussion of a broader range of issues. However, this issue remains a difficult topic with limited progress on a common approach to addressing it.

The Commonwealth has a rich history of addressing and confronting difficult issues and resolving them. A good example is the fight against racism and white minority rule in Rhodesia and the fight against apartheid in South Africa. These were difficult issues that divided the Commonwealth but through continuous and frank dialogue the Commonwealth was able to act as an effective forum for defeating racism and introducing multi-party democracy in both Zimbabwe and South Africa.

It is therefore my sense that the Commonwealth is better placed than other international fora including the UN to facilitate discussions on reparatory justice and secure an outcome that will bring closure to the victims of slavery and colonialism.

Botchwey: There are serious processes underway today in international and multilateral institutions we belong to, including the United Nations, the Africa Union and CARICOM for Reparative Justice. The Commonwealth should not duplicate those processes. It can however be part of the policy dialogue and reflect their outcomes in programming. It is important to note that our success in realizing reforms in the global finance and governance architecture, in addressing the debt crises in Commonwealth countries and in agreeing to a new development cooperation model that works for both rich and poorer States, contributes to realizing reparative justice.

You have been explicit in your support of freedom of expression throughout the Commonwealth. What would that support look like, in practice? 

Tangara: I appreciate that respect for the inalienable rights of people continues to be reflected in the development and governance agenda of Commonwealth governments. My aim as Secretary-General will be to leverage the common understanding of governments on the issues germane to the respect of human rights and the platforms available to provide institutional support in the promotion of human rights including freedom of expression. This effort will also acknowledge the fact that the Commonwealth constitutes Member States with discernible cultural, societal, and religious dictums, thus necessitating a delicate nuance in promoting freedom of expression. Additionally, the Secretariat will facilitate appropriate responses and support to the developments in the information and communication technology landscapes which have created easy access to diverse voices and opinions.

Setipa: The Commonwealth Charter outlines the centrality of the right to freedom of expression to the values espoused by the Commonwealth Member States and in particular, highlights the importance of freedom of expression to enhancing democratic traditions and strengthening democratic processes. Internally within the Secretariat, I will ensure that in its governance work, the Secretariat places emphasis on freedom of expression and provides resources to support reforms in member countries including the repeal of legislation that restricts free expression. Furthermore, within the secretariat, I will ensure that there is an atmosphere of free expression that allows staff to express their views without fear of sanctions.

Botchwey: Today, the world is facing the challenge of making technology work for strengthening democracy, including safeguarding democracies, communities and individuals from hate speech, disinformation and misinformation calculated to undermine democratic freedoms, including freedom of expression. The Commonwealth Secretariat should be a leader in sharing best practices and promoting Commonwealth-wide standard setting for protecting and promoting freedom of expression, while developing targeted approaches to regulate and prevent abuse. As Secretary-General, I would use my good offices to ensure support for legitimate expression. The Commonwealth could also provide support for human rights defenders, activists, and journalists through legal assistance, asylum, or other protective measures when they face persecution for their work.

You have also voiced your explicit support for the role and importance of civil society in the Commonwealth. What immediate steps would you take to enhance the standing of civil society in the Commonwealth system?

Tangara: I support the perspective that effective governance requires the full participation of all credible actors including civil society. Public governance will be profoundly challenging if the concerns of the grassroots actors are not accommodated in the dialogues and programmes being implemented by the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth Foundation is an important vehicle for incorporating the strategic roles of civil society in the quest for innovative ideas and impetus in implementing the Commonwealth agenda. In this regard, the Foundation’s Strategic Plan offers a good foundational basis to shape further and propel the role of civil society and bring the message of the Commonwealth to the citizens of its member states. As a Secretary-General, I will push for the vigorous implementation of this important blueprint. This exercise must strengthen and create new strategies for implementing the agenda. It is also necessary that more support be provided to youth, women, religious, and artistic representatives to participate in achieving the Commonwealth’s strategic goals. The Commonwealth should also have a formidable people-centred agenda through strong networks developed for schools and universities to participate in popularizing the agenda of the Commonwealth in the Member States.

What is evident, over the years, is that the consultative forums held under the auspices of the Commonwealth have generated innovative recommendations which I strongly believe should be given the appropriate space in the work and programmes of the Secretariat. I intend to convene more consultations with civil society actors to provide avenues for their voices to be heard and allowed to contribute to our efforts to create consensus on the ways to address the concerns of the member states. This I hope will ultimately lead to a Commonwealth People-Centered Agenda for the next five years. 

Setipa: The Commonwealth Charter recognises the important role of Civil Society in advancing and implementing the values of the Commonwealth. As Secretary General, I will ensure improvement in the quality and level of communication, awareness and information about the Commonwealth; and interactions with the intergovernmental Commonwealth to ensure better engagements between organisations, and that civil society holds more meaningful dialogue in the Commonwealth processes, as well as participation in the work of the Commonwealth Secretariat and in high-level meetings.

Accreditation to the Commonwealth grants civil society access to Commonwealth ministerial meetings. I will ensure that civil society inputs are considered at such high-level meetings as civil society are the ones that have physical presence to tackle development challenges and governance issues in the Commonwealth, and hence access to such processes would be beneficial both to the Commonwealth, and civil society.

I will also be a strong advocate for diversity within the accredited organisations to ensure equal and increased participation of civil society from developing Commonwealth countries.

Botchwey: I am committed to establishing more structured, more accessible regular, formal consultative meetings with Civil Soceity Organisations (CSOs) to give them greater influence in programming and implementation. As part of my vision for strategic partnerships, supporting the empowerment of civil society at country level will be a major objective. This will extend the collaboration between the Secretariat and civil society beyond those entities affiliated to the Commonwealth to local NGOs, especially to strengthen good governance. With a more enhanced resource envelope, we shall allocate greater financial support and technical assistance ato CSOs, including grants, training programs, and access to resources that help civil society organizations improve their capacity to advocate effectively and engage with governments. I will also work with member states to ensure that laws governing civil society organizations are supportive of their work.  By strengthening partnerships with CSOs and fostering an environment where their contributions are valued, we can work together to build a more responsive and resilient Commonwealth that empowers its people at all levels.