"Each CHOGM host country traditionally determines the theme and this in turn sets the basis for a lot of the agenda for the three-day meeting of the Commonwealth´s 53 political leaders also attended by the Head of the Commonwealth, HM the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh," said Mr Sharma.
"Malta is making a historic contribution and from what I can see so far, this CHOGM will be a huge success. Discussions and decisions will concentrate on what we can do together for those countries at a disadvantage in the current international system. Thirty-one of our nations have populations of less than 1.5 million, often far less and face many development challenges as well as the prospect of growing climate change impacts."
"Leading topics will include trade, climate change, capacity building, finance, gender issues while we expect to officially launch several new initiatives. Building on an initial Maltese proposal and using Maltese expertise, the secretariat has developed a vulnerability and resilience framework for small and vulnerable states," he said.
Mr Sharma continued: "Following on from this a highly important proposal will be on the table to establish a support and assistance centre for small states here in Malta. As 60 per cent of the Commonwealth´s population of 2.2 billion is under 30, youth issues and consolidating our related activities - based on the recommendations of the Youth Forum in Qawra (21-24 November) - will also be a key issue for discussion and action".
A Special Executive Session on Climate Change will aim to produce a unified commitment to climate action, as CHOGM's contribution to the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 21) starting in Paris on 30 November, Both the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon and the COP 21 president, France´s foreign minister Laurent Fabius are scheduled to attend the Session.
Finance Hub
In addition, The Commonwealth Climate Change Finance Hub will be launched as an online tool for knowledge exchange as well as best practice information sharing and collaboration. A related issue up for discussion in Malta will be the "debt for climate" proposal tabled by the Commonwealth Secretariat at the Small States Forum in Lima, Peru held this October in parallel to the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Donors would facilitate the write-down of debt of developing nations with their climate finance pledges, in exchange for debtors' domestic investment in climate change. The Commonwealth is working with the office of the UN Secretary General to advance this initiative.
Trade
"On trade, we have been working with the International Finance Corporation, the World Bank and international commercial banks to create a facility to cover the trade risks of small states", Mr. Sharma indicated. "It took the Commonwealth to think this up! The facility will be mediated by big banks which have told us that if you create an instrument which covers a significant portion of the risk, we will lend to small banks by means of letters of credit for 30, 60, 90 or 120 days. This will allow for investments. According to our research, the trade creation impact could be on a ratio of 1 to 20. The target for the core fund would be $20 million (€18 million) funded by both public and private sources."
The facility will add a new dimension to the ongoing trade work under the very successful Hub and Spokes project launched in 2004 to enhance trade capacity development, policy formulation and participation in international negotiations and agreements as well as sustainable economic development, poverty reduction and regional integration in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. This is a joint venture between the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Organisation Internationale de La Francophonie (OIF), the European Union and the Africa, Caribbean, Paicific (ACP) Group Secretariat comprises 11Regional Trade Advisors (Hubs) and 36 National/Trade Advisors (Spokes).
Strategic Plan
"Last year, we worked out and adopted our Strategic Plan to 2017 and reduced the number of things we are doing, dropping activities already well covered by other international organisations", Mr Sharma explained. "I have succeeded in bringing about a round the clock and round the world connection within the Commonwealth. ITC innovation has revolutionised the way the Commonwealth communicates through online platforms such as Commonwealth Connects and Compartnership as well as hubs enabling countries and their national organisations to exchange information, learn from each other and share experiences and training resources in education, health and economic sectors."
The Commonwealth Charter adopted in 2012 formalised the group's ideals and commitments stating that "the special strength of the Commonwealth lies in the combination of our diversity and our shared inheritance in language, culture and the rule of law; and bound together by shared history and tradition; by respect for all states and peoples; by shared values and principles and by concern for the vulnerable. The Commonwealth way is to seek consensus through consultation and the sharing of experience, especially through practical co-operation, affirming that the Commonwealth is uniquely placed to serve as a model and as a catalyst for new forms of friendship and co-operation in the spirit of the Charter of the United Nations".
The Charter lists the sixteen core Commonwealth beliefs - democracy, human rights, international peace and security, tolerance, respect and understanding, freedom of expression, separation of powers, rule of law, good governance, sustainable development, protecting the environment, access to health, education, food and shelter, gender equality, importance of young people, recognition of the needs of the small states and vulnerable states, and the role of civil society.
"A personal and professional highlight for me was seeing Her Majesty the Queen sign the Commonwealth Charter in 2013", Mr. Sharma stated. "Our group of nations continues to extend its international role through co-operation with La Francophonie, the G20, OECD, the EU, UN organisations."
Mr Sharma´s commitment to gender issues was hailed earlier this month when The Commonwealth Businesswomen's Network (CBN) named him the 1st Commonwealth Male Champion of Change in recognition of his leadership on gender mainstreaming. On this occasion he said that "I have made it a personal priority that in every aspect of our Commonwealth work "gender mainstreaming" should be far more than a slogan. We are committed to achieving practical change that has impact in the lives and livelihoods of women and girls in all our member states."
A proposal by Malta, the first ever Commonwealth Women´s Forum takes place this week at the Intercontinental Hotel in St. Julian´s. Two other fora taking place in St. Julian´s this week are the People´s and the Business Forums.
Young people
"As young people will be the ones living with the decisions made today, they should help shape them", Mr. Sharma has frequently stated. In his speech to the opening session of the Commonwealth Youth Forum in Qawra (21 November) he asserted that the Commonwealth "leads the world with a highly significant Commonwealth 'first', our Youth Development Index - launched in 2013. This pioneering tool enables governments, decision-makers and stakeholders to identify and learn from areas of success, pinpoint priority investment areas, and monitor progress over time. It tracks youth development across five areas: education, health, employment, civic and political participation."
"The Index is raising awareness both of successes and of investment needs - of time, money, and attention required - and helping us to be aware of, and to share good practices to the benefit of all. It directly informs the Commonwealth Plan of Action for Youth Empowerment by providing the base of evidence for member countries of the Commonwealth to assess where they are doing well in youth development and where there is need for greater focus and attention."
Commonwealth youth networks now include the Commonwealth Youth Council, the Commonwealth Alliance for Young Entrepreneurs, the Commonwealth Students Association and the Commonwealth Youth Climate Change Network´. In addition several young people undertake two year placements at the Commonwealth Secretariat under its Young Professionals Programme.
Just before the Qawra Forum, the 33Sixty leadership development programme convening 100 young leaders from across the Commonwealth held its 2015 four day session in Malta. Participants were trained to cross boundaries, lead change and use the Commonwealth's networks effectively around the theme of "How do we stop people profiting from migration?" also adopting reports to be submitted to the formal CHOGM session.
At a breakfast meeting between Youth Forum leaders and CHOGM heads of government young people will present their own concerns as wel the priorities they have agreed at the Forum, to be submitted in a formal document.
In his off the cuff remarks at the Youth Forum high-level panel Mr. Sharma laughingly admitted that "the walls between youth and older adults have collapsed, as I have seen with my own children. Young people are often a great deal wiser and better informed than their elders - we have a lot to learn from you!"
Photograph: Commonwealth