DFID continues to support and promote the important work of these Commonwealth organisations.

DFID is the UK government member of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) and supports their programmes to strengthen local democracy and improve local government service delivery in Southern Asia, Western Africa and Southern Africa. We are also working with the CLGF on their plans for their annual conference in June 2015.

The DFID Head of Education Profession plays an important role as the UK Board member for the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and we continue to work closely with COL to help the promotion of their work at the forthcoming Commonwealth Conference of Education Ministers in June 2015. DFID is also funding an evaluation of COL’s work in learning for development from 2006 to 2015 which is designed to help improve its future impact in Commonwealth developing countries.

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission is a Non-Departmental Public Body with DFID as its sponsor department. DFID continues to support the Commission in its work to manage the UK’s contribution to the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan, an international programme that provides over 900 scholarships and fellowships to citizens of other Commonwealth countries. As the UK’s leading scholarship programme for international development, 87% of award holders, supported in the last year have come from low or lower middle income countries with around 95% of award holders returning to influence the development of their home countries. CSC produce an Annual Report which details the scholarships and fellowships supported during the year. Their latest report for the period ending 30 September 2014 was laid in both libraries of the House in December 2014. In the build up to the Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers in June 2015 we will be working with CSC to highlight and promote the role that UK scholarships have throughout the Commonwealth.