Commonwealth Secretary-General arrives in Paris ahead of Paris Summit

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, has arrived in Paris to attend the ‘Paris Summit for a New Global Financing Pact‘.

Speaking ahead of the Summit, Secretary-General Scotland said:

“Our planet is changing before our eyes, from melting glaciers to bleached coral reefs. Climate disasters are increasing at a frightening rate and there is an urgent need for bold reform of the global financial architecture to support vulnerable countries.  Commonwealth members are leading in pushing for this reform and the Bridgetown initiative led by Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley is a prime example.

I look forward to these important discussions at the Paris Summit and to taking the steps necessary to make this urgent change.”

Whilst in Paris, Secretary-General Scotland will also sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB). There are 14 common member states between the two organisations and the MoU’s areas of cooperation, combined advocacy and convening power aims to provide vital support for the recovery of the Commonwealth’s developing and small states which are the most vulnerable to global economic disruptions.

On the sidelines of the Paris Summit, the Secretary-General will also be speaking at a joint event on Thursday 22^nd of June on the theme of ‘Taking account of multidimensional vulnerability in the allocation of new development funding.’ 

Whilst at the Paris Summit, the Secretary-General will take the opportunity to conduct several bilateral meetings with global leaders and high-level officials about progressing climate action and making effective and practical change.