The Ministers Reference Book: Commonwealth 2017 was launched on Commonwealth Day 2017 at the Commonwealth Day Observance in Westminster Abbey, attended by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Heads of Government, High Commissioners, and numerous other VIPs.
Produced in partnership with the Royal Commonwealth Society, the report aims to help foster sustainable economic, social and environmental development across the Commonwealth.
The 2017 report features an impressive array of authoritative views on topics ranging from the Sustainable Development Goals and peace-building to trade and infrastructure development.
Featuring perspectives from:
- The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth
- Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank
- Roberto Azevêdo, Director-General of the World Trade Organization
- Gordon Brown, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
- Ambassador Smaïl Chergui, African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security
- Helen Clark, Administrator of the UNDP and former Prime Minister of New Zealand
- Joan Clos, UN Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of UN-Habitat
- Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the Africa Union Commission
- Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
- Julia Gillard, former Prime Minister of Australia
- Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, President of Mauritius
- David Howell (Lord Howell of Guildford), President of The Royal Commonwealth Society
- Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Prime Minister of Mauritius
- Professor Asha Kanwar, President and CEO of the Commonwealth of Learning
- Miroslav Lajcák, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Slovak Republic
- Michael Lake CBE, Director of The Royal Commonwealth Society
- Louise Martin CBE, President of the Commonwealth Games Federation
- Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women
- Dr Joseph Muscat, Prime Minister of the Republic of Malta
- Enrique Peña Nieto, President of Mexico
- Dr Keith Rowley, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago
- Malik Samarawickrama, Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade, Sri Lanka
- Erik Solheim, Executive Director of UN Environment
- Mark Suzman, President of Global Policy & Advocacy, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
- Shola Taylor, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation
- Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa