Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has expressed her elation about India hosting the G20 Summit while emphasising New Delhi's nuanced understanding of the challenges faced by the diverse 56 countries within the Commonwealth community.

Speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, the&nbsp;Commonwealth Secretary-General speaking from London said,&nbsp;"We are actually delighted that India for the first time is leading G20 because we know that India really understands the challenges and the difficulties which are facing the 56 countries of the Commonwealth".

Patricia Scotland commended India's digital revolution as a remarkable gift. "…it's one of the greatest gifts that India has given her people, but it's also one of the greatest gifts India can share with the rest of the Commonwealth," she stated.

This transformative leap in technology adoption is positioned as a resource for smaller and developing countries that might not have had the resources to embark on such a journey independently.

In the realm of space exploration, Secretary-General Scotland praised India's accomplishment in its lunar mission, Chandrayaan 3. "Well, I think this is an extraordinary achievement for India, the first country in the world to reach the South Side of the Moon," she noted.

Highlighting the involvement of a woman in leading this endeavour, she emphasised the importance of gender equality in such groundbreaking ventures.&nbsp;

She also expressed concerns over the coup in Gabon, a commonwealth country, and said, "…we are in constant contact right now. And doing everything we can, to support the security, the safety of the individuals concerned."&nbsp;

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and sovereign member states, most of which were formerly part of the British Empire. These countries collaborate on various issues, including political, economic, and social matters, while promoting shared values of democracy, human rights, and development.&nbsp;

Here is the full interview.&nbsp;

WION: India is set to host the G20 summit, how do you see, India's Presidency of the grouping

Patricia Scotland:&nbsp;&nbsp;Well, we are actually delighted that India for the first time is leading G 20 because we know that India really understands the challenges and the difficulties which are facing the 56 countries of the Commonwealth. You know that we have 33 small states, 25 of them are small island developing states, 14 of the least developed states together with G7 countries and G20 countries like India. But the devastating situation that we're now facing, we have had so many exogenous shocks both environmental, economic and security challenges and all of these are combined to create a devastating threat, poverty and hunger all on the rise. Glaciers are melting at record speeds, sea levels are rising to double the rate it was 30 years ago, disasters are more frequent and more severe and the world is on the catastrophic path to three degrees centigrade rising whilst everyone suffers. We're seeing it's women and girls who are adversely affected without the same means to deal with these challenges. And India has been really one of the countries in the forefront to help to address these issues of poverty, of lack of opportunity together with meeting the challenges of the new digital world , we need to transform. And so everything that India has done, is going to help we believe to lead the G 20. To address these issues in a way that we hope will actually meet the needs and the aspirations, particularly of the poor in the global south and elsewhere, who are struggling with these exogenous shocks, none of which have been created by them, particularly climate change. If you look at the G 20 countries probably contributed more to the greenhouse gases, but the small and the developing countries less than 5%. So India's leadership, understanding of the need to reform the international financial institutions, to be more responsive to the challenges, particularly the vulnerability and you know that India has been supporting this idea that we need to have a vulnerability index to be able to support. So we are really looking forward to India's leadership. We think it's incredibly important that the agenda that India is challenging and challenging through G20 is the Commonwealth member states agenda. So we are hoping that India will have the most phenomenal success. And if you, if you see the India got on to the South Side of the Moon, and a woman helped you to get there, so that is a demonstration of how empowering women and girls can benefit India but also going to benefit all of us. We're very proud of what India has done.

WION: How relevant do you think,&nbsp;Commonwealth grouping is?

Patricia Scotland:&nbsp;&nbsp;Well, I think the Commonwealth has never been more relevant than it is today. And the reason that it is such an important organization is it brings together people from the global north and the global south to be around the same table and to discuss things as equals. We have some of the biggest countries in the world, India being one of them. More than a billion people are Indians in our commonwealth and our 2.6 billion people, therefore made up of all the rest, but you've got some of the smallest countries in the world. Like Nauru, only 11,000 people in that country, but all of us around the same table, bringing our different perspectives folks north, south, west and east. So that was 56 countries coming from five regions, of six oceans. they bring a special opportunity for us to plan together, to share information and for us to problem solve. One of the issues in the past is when decisions are made it impact the whole world. Not everyone is on that table. In the Commonwealth everyone is on that table, and you saw that when we all fought apartheid and brought it to an end. You saw it when Commonwealth faced the issues in relation to race discrimination. We saw it in 1989 when the Commonwealth came together to face the issue of climate change, and back then right back in 1989, it was said that if we didn't deal with this issue, it would pose an existential threat. And here we are in 2023, everything the Commonwealth said in 1989, regrettably, has come to pass and we've all been fighting that cause all the way along. So I think in terms of good governance, law, sharing the work on climate, on gender equality, all these issues are fundamental importance to us globally, and the Commonwealth has been able to face it and we've got a huge opportunity as well. In terms of intra Commonwealth trade. We've now got about $721 billion with intra Commonwealth trade. We hope that will grow to at least 1 trillion by 2026. But by 2030 we can build the entire Commonwealth trade which will be about 2 trillion. So this dynamism comes from our opportunity to include everyone, the diversity of our Commonwealth. We're like a microcosm or a Petri dish of the rest of the world. So if we can solve the problems that face us, as a Commonwealth family, we could create a pathway for others to solve their problems too.

WION:&nbsp;How can the Commonwealth countries benefit from India's experience and success in sectors, such as digital revolution and digital payments?

Patricia Scotland:&nbsp;Well, I think it's one of the greatest gifts that India has given her people, but it's also one of the greatest gifts India can share with the rest of the Commonwealth, particularly the small and the developing countries who have not got perhaps the power and the opportunity to do that what India has done. I know that , India had said that they want to develop the technology and the opportunity to give all Indians an opportunity to take advantage of this digital revolution. And when I spoke to the former Minister of Justice and ICT Ravi Shankar, he had said to me then and the ministers we followed him are delivering it, that he wanted to deliver a digitized system at the rate of $1 per person in India. Well, India can do that and be that powerhouse. And with $1 per person at 1.4 billion, India has that capacity to create this cheap, effective and brilliant system. But if you have a country, which only has 72,000 people, they won't be able to do it. But India shares her technology with the small and the developing. Then we raise all our boats and so you saw how in 2014 Prime Minister Modi introduced the new banking system, which gave millions of Indians who never had a bank account but did have a mobile telephone,&nbsp; an opportunity of having a bank. You saw the impact it had on small and medium-sized enterprises. And we also saw it liberating so many women could never have a bank account, never had an opportunity to do that. And look at what India is now doing with E Rupee which is enabling all people, with there poor, middle or high income, giving a platform for everybody to have opportunity. And India's willingness to share this, we think a fantastic gift to those countries who are struggling to do the development which they need, that they want, that they're passionate about, but it can't always.

&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: Gabon saw a coup, and Gabon is a commonwealth country, your reaction to the development...

Patricia Scotland:&nbsp;&nbsp;Well, we are very shocked and concerned about what is happening and I expressed my concern, the Commonwealth's concern about what's happening. We're absolutely devoted to good governance, to the rule of law, to democracy, and to have this happen is a great shock. We are doing everything we can now to explore exactly what's happening. The safety of the President, his family, his wife and his son, their four children. All of those we are in conversation now to try and identify exactly what is happening on the ground. What the purpose of this Act has been, this coup, which is contrary to all the principles of our Commonwealth, and we are in constant contact right now. And doing everything we can, to support the security, the safety of the individuals concerned. But this as you know, is very much a moving target and we are literally exploring the best way to restore a level of stability and understanding.

&nbsp;

Sidhant Sibal: Your take on India' Chandrayaan 3, lunar success? and if you suggest, India should help countries of the commonwealth when it comes to space cooperation..

Patricia Scotland:&nbsp;&nbsp;Well, I think this is an extraordinary achievement for India, the first country in the world to reach the South Side of the Moon. It's never been done before. And as I said, I'm so proud of the fact that a woman led the charge on this and was leading the team and the reason I say that, is that we need equality for women and girls. Women and girls have exactly the same opportunity, power, intelligence, and ability to innovate. And if we do not allow women and girls to have an equal opportunity, look at what we've missed. What if we didn't have the most fantastic female scientists in the world at the moment today, leading this team, we would all be the poorer, not just India, but all of us. And this has been hugely inspirational for other countries and the generosity India has shown in saying that India is willing to share the knowledge of the expertise with those smaller and developing countries who would love to do what India has done is a remarkable, a remarkable offer because our world is facing so many perilous threats right now. It needs us all to come together in solidarity for the public good, and to share our knowledge, to share our expertise. So we can come up together with the solutions for the world's problems. I think what India has done has been truly inspirational. Many countries in the past would say, you know, we haven't got enough money, we haven't got enough opportunity, we haven't got the technical know how, how can we do it when we are not a developed country, but we're still a developing country. And India has shown the way to all of those who wish to develop because India is saying we have done this and you can do it too, and we are willing to help you. And that is a fantastic offer. And no one forgets how Prime Minister Modi assisted the small Commonwealth countries to obtain vaccines during the COVID 19 terrible, terrible pandemic which stole the lives of so many we love and so many of us after suffering from the loss that COVID brought to us, but there was light in that time. And certainly in the Commonwealth, we greatly welcome the fact that India was shoulder to shoulder with the other Commonwealth countries and the Commonwealth health ministers were the first to meet in 2020 to fix issues. So big&nbsp;congratulations&nbsp;for India. A big thank you to India for coming together walking the walk with us not just on the issue of climate and digitalization and gender but all the other issues too, in relation to bringing about systemic change. And so I want to thank India for its keen participation of you know that India is also helping us in delivering the performance management system or PMS. And we have created a partnership in order to deliver this new technological lead assisted response to performance management, so that we can improve the good governance that is needed by all our countries if we are going to succeed and deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals.

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Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has expressed her elation about India hosting the G20 Summit while emphasising New Delhi's nuanced understanding of the challenges faced by the diverse 56 countries within the Commonwealth community.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has expressed her elation about India hosting the G20 Summit while emphasising New Delhi's nuanced understanding of the challenges faced by the diverse 56 countries within the Commonwealth community. Speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, the Commonwealth Secretary-General speaking from London said, "We are actually delighted that India for the first time is leading G20 because we know that India really understands the challenges and the difficulties which are facing the 56 countries of the Commonwealth". Patricia Scotland commended India's digital revolution as a remarkable gift. "…it's one of the greatest gifts that India has given her people, but it's also one of the greatest gifts India can share with the rest of the Commonwealth," she stated. This transformative leap in technology adoption is positioned as a resource for smaller and developing countries that might not have had the resources to embark on such a journey independently. In the realm of space exploration, Secretary-General Scotland praised India's accomplishment in its lunar mission, Chandrayaan 3. "Well, I think this is an extraordinary achievement for India, the first country in the world to reach the South Side of the Moon," she noted. Highlighting the involvement of a woman in leading this endeavour, she emphasised the importance of gender equality in such groundbreaking ventures. She also expressed concerns over the coup in Gabon, a commonwealth country, and said, "…we are in constant contact right now. And doing everything we can, to support the security, the safety of the individuals concerned." The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and sovereign member states, most of which were formerly part of the British Empire. These countries collaborate on various issues, including political, economic, and social matters, while promoting shared values of democracy, human rights, and development. Here is the full interview. WION: India is set to host the G20 summit, how do you see, India's Presidency of the grouping Patricia Scotland: Well, we are actually delighted that India for the first time is leading G 20 because we know that India really understands the challenges and the difficulties which are facing the 56 countries of the Commonwealth. You know that we have 33 small states, 25 of them are small island developing states, 14 of the least developed states together with G7 countries and G20 countries like India. But the devastating situation that we're now facing, we have had so many exogenous shocks both environmental, economic and security challenges and all of these are combined to create a devastating threat, poverty and hunger all on the rise. Glaciers are melting at record speeds, sea levels are rising to double the rate it was 30 years ago, disasters are more frequent and more severe and the world is on the catastrophic path to three degrees centigrade rising whilst everyone suffers. We're seeing it's women and girls who are adversely affected without the same means to deal with these challenges. And India has been really one of the countries in the forefront to help to address these issues of poverty, of lack of opportunity together with meeting the challenges of the new digital world , we need to transform. And so everything that India has done, is going to help we believe to lead the G 20. To address these issues in a way that we hope will actually meet the needs and the aspirations, particularly of the poor in the global south and elsewhere, who are struggling with these exogenous shocks, none of which have been created by them, particularly climate change. If you look at the G 20 countries probably contributed more to the greenhouse gases, but the small and the developing countries less than 5%. So India's leadership, understanding of the need to reform the international financial institutions, to be more responsive to the challenges, particularly the vulnerability and you know that India has been supporting this idea that we need to have a vulnerability index to be able to support. So we are really looking forward to India's leadership. We think it's incredibly important that the agenda that India is challenging and challenging through G20 is the Commonwealth member states agenda. So we are hoping that India will have the most phenomenal success. And if you, if you see the India got on to the South Side of the Moon, and a woman helped you to get there, so that is a demonstration of how empowering women and girls can benefit India but also going to benefit all of us. We're very proud of what India has done. WION: How relevant do you think, Commonwealth grouping is? Patricia Scotland: Well, I think the Commonwealth has never been more relevant than it is today. And the reason that it is such an important organization is it brings together people from the global north and the global south to be around the same table and to discuss things as equals. We have some of the biggest countries in the world, India being one of them. More than a billion people are Indians in our commonwealth and our 2.6 billion people, therefore made up of all the rest, but you've got some of the smallest countries in the world. Like Nauru, only 11,000 people in that country, but all of us around the same table, bringing our different perspectives folks north, south, west and east. So that was 56 countries coming from five regions, of six oceans. they bring a special opportunity for us to plan together, to share information and for us to problem solve. One of the issues in the past is when decisions are made it impact the whole world. Not everyone is on that table. In the Commonwealth everyone is on that table, and you saw that when we all fought apartheid and brought it to an end. You saw it when Commonwealth faced the issues in relation to race discrimination. We saw it in 1989 when the Commonwealth came together to face the issue of climate change, and back then right back in 1989, it was said that if we didn't deal with this issue, it would pose an existential threat. And here we are in 2023, everything the Commonwealth said in 1989, regrettably, has come to pass and we've all been fighting that cause all the way along. So I think in terms of good governance, law, sharing the work on climate, on gender equality, all these issues are fundamental importance to us globally, and the Commonwealth has been able to face it and we've got a huge opportunity as well. In terms of intra Commonwealth trade. We've now got about $721 billion with intra Commonwealth trade. We hope that will grow to at least 1 trillion by 2026. But by 2030 we can build the entire Commonwealth trade which will be about 2 trillion. So this dynamism comes from our opportunity to include everyone, the diversity of our Commonwealth. We're like a microcosm or a Petri dish of the rest of the world. So if we can solve the problems that face us, as a Commonwealth family, we could create a pathway for others to solve their problems too. WION: How can the Commonwealth countries benefit from India's experience and success in sectors, such as digital revolution and digital payments? Patricia Scotland: Well, I think it's one of the greatest gifts that India has given her people, but it's also one of the greatest gifts India can share with the rest of the Commonwealth, particularly the small and the developing countries who have not got perhaps the power and the opportunity to do that what India has done. I know that , India had said that they want to develop the technology and the opportunity to give all Indians an opportunity to take advantage of this digital revolution. And when I spoke to the former Minister of Justice and ICT Ravi Shankar, he had said to me then and the ministers we followed him are delivering it, that he wanted to deliver a digitized system at the rate of $1 per person in India. Well, India can do that and be that powerhouse. And with $1 per person at 1.4 billion, India has that capacity to create this cheap, effective and brilliant system. But if you have a country, which only has 72,000 people, they won't be able to do it. But India shares her technology with the small and the developing. Then we raise all our boats and so you saw how in 2014 Prime Minister Modi introduced the new banking system, which gave millions of Indians who never had a bank account but did have a mobile telephone, an opportunity of having a bank. You saw the impact it had on small and medium-sized enterprises. And we also saw it liberating so many women could never have a bank account, never had an opportunity to do that. And look at what India is now doing with E Rupee which is enabling all people, with there poor, middle or high income, giving a platform for everybody to have opportunity. And India's willingness to share this, we think a fantastic gift to those countries who are struggling to do the development which they need, that they want, that they're passionate about, but it can't always. Sidhant Sibal: Gabon saw a coup, and Gabon is a commonwealth country, your reaction to the development... Patricia Scotland: Well, we are very shocked and concerned about what is happening and I expressed my concern, the Commonwealth's concern about what's happening. We're absolutely devoted to good governance, to the rule of law, to democracy, and to have this happen is a great shock. We are doing everything we can now to explore exactly what's happening. The safety of the President, his family, his wife and his son, their four children. All of those we are in conversation now to try and identify exactly what is happening on the ground. What the purpose of this Act has been, this coup, which is contrary to all the principles of our Commonwealth, and we are in constant contact right now. And doing everything we can, to support the security, the safety of the individuals concerned. But this as you know, is very much a moving target and we are literally exploring the best way to restore a level of stability and understanding. Sidhant Sibal: Your take on India' Chandrayaan 3, lunar success? and if you suggest, India should help countries of the commonwealth when it comes to space cooperation.. Patricia Scotland: Well, I think this is an extraordinary achievement for India, the first country in the world to reach the South Side of the Moon. It's never been done before. And as I said, I'm so proud of the fact that a woman led the charge on this and was leading the team and the reason I say that, is that we need equality for women and girls. Women and girls have exactly the same opportunity, power, intelligence, and ability to innovate. And if we do not allow women and girls to have an equal opportunity, look at what we've missed. What if we didn't have the most fantastic female scientists in the world at the moment today, leading this team, we would all be the poorer, not just India, but all of us. And this has been hugely inspirational for other countries and the generosity India has shown in saying that India is willing to share the knowledge of the expertise with those smaller and developing countries who would love to do what India has done is a remarkable, a remarkable offer because our world is facing so many perilous threats right now. It needs us all to come together in solidarity for the public good, and to share our knowledge, to share our expertise. So we can come up together with the solutions for the world's problems. I think what India has done has been truly inspirational. Many countries in the past would say, you know, we haven't got enough money, we haven't got enough opportunity, we haven't got the technical know how, how can we do it when we are not a developed country, but we're still a developing country. And India has shown the way to all of those who wish to develop because India is saying we have done this and you can do it too, and we are willing to help you. And that is a fantastic offer. And no one forgets how Prime Minister Modi assisted the small Commonwealth countries to obtain vaccines during the COVID 19 terrible, terrible pandemic which stole the lives of so many we love and so many of us after suffering from the loss that COVID brought to us, but there was light in that time. And certainly in the Commonwealth, we greatly welcome the fact that India was shoulder to shoulder with the other Commonwealth countries and the Commonwealth health ministers were the first to meet in 2020 to fix issues. So big congratulations for India. A big thank you to India for coming together walking the walk with us not just on the issue of climate and digitalization and gender but all the other issues too, in relation to bringing about systemic change. And so I want to thank India for its keen participation of you know that India is also helping us in delivering the performance management system or PMS. And we have created a partnership in order to deliver this new technological lead assisted response to performance management, so that we can improve the good governance that is needed by all our countries if we are going to succeed and deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Commonwealth Secretary-General praises India's G20 leadership and lunar triumph

The Commonwealth which is the third biggest organisation in the world after the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement had lauded India's handling of the COVID-19 crisis, saying there is&nbsp;lot to learn from India.

Speaking exclusively to Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal from London, Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said, PM Modi "led from the very beginning" and "followed WHO guidelines really faithfully".

Calling India's lockdown "necessary" to keep people safe, Patricia Scotland pointed out that not only "India looked after its own but also reached out to countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles."&nbsp;She also talked about the "heartbreaking" Cyclone Amphan and the existential challenge of climate change. &nbsp;

WION: What has been Commonwealth's response during the COVID-19 crisis. The health ministers of the Commonwealth met?

Patricia Scotland: What we know and you are right, we have 2.4 billion people in our Commonwealth and important to remember, 60 per cent&nbsp;of that 2.4 billion are&nbsp;under the age of 30.

We have a young vibrant population. Not only full of genius and opportunity and needs in terms of employability and what we have learnt after coming together, our 54 countries, is that we really need collaboration, coordination in order to support us with some of these quite existential threats which we are globally facing now, from climate change to the pandemic.

So what our health minister understand is this pandemic knows no border, it doesn't respect people or place and it reached its tentacles in all of our homes and all of our lives. The only way, we can respond effectively to this pandemic is by coming together in solidarity through&nbsp;government's, civil society and countries and institutions.

And that is what we in the Commonwealth are&nbsp;doing and that is the manifestation when we came together virtually at the world health assembly.

In preparation, we did what we always do in the Commonwealth, we did Commonwealth health ministers meeting so that we can talk amongst our members, the small ones, the large ones, the landlocked ones, the rich ones, the poor ones because in our family we are always determined to leave no one behind.

So when our family of ministers came together they were asking a number of very pertinent questions.

The first was, what do we do, what are all we facing and then they were asking how have each of us responded and what has worked, what has not worked, what do we need in terms of medicines, equipment, research and asked and shared what do we have.

Our family works on the basis that if one of us has something, we are willing to share with our brothers and sisters elsewhere.

If you look at Commonwealth health ministers statement, I believe, it is an inspirational statement of warmth, solidarity, brotherhood and a real understanding, that this pandemic will only be solved in multilateral, multifaceted and multidimensional cooperation and that is what shines out of the Commonwealth and I was so proud of the information given by every single one of our members, from Fiji in the Pacific to India in Asia.

Look at Ghana, Nigeria, UK, Canada all of us, the small island states in the Caribbean who have done such a fantastic job in keeping the&nbsp;virus at bay. So that collaboration was extraordinary. There was a lot of applause for what India has done, the way PM Modi has led from the very beginning.

WION:&nbsp;How do you see India's response and do you&nbsp;see it can be emulated across the Commonwealth?&nbsp;

Patricia Scotland: India has done an extraordinary job. If you look at when coronavirus attacked India, it was about the same time COVID-19 hit the US.

The US has about 330 million people and India has 1.35 billion people but look at what Mr Modi did, he followed, the WHO guidelines really faithfully.

That lockdown was so necessary because if you got 1.35 billion people, your most precious essence is your people if you have health, you can have wealth, but if you&nbsp;have no health, your people die, how will they become healthy and wealthy.

So putting people first, it has been very difficult for India, because India is spending 4.5 billion dollars a day because of the lockdown but India has put lives of its people first.

What is the consequence and the impact of what India has done, we have in India over a lakh case in India but look at the ability of India to reduce death with just around 3,300 deaths.

Each one is a tragedy, each one devastating for the family members. But look at&nbsp;comparatively speaking those numbers have been contained.

We only have to look at the tragedy unfolding in other countries. We have created a Commonwealth coronavirus tracker, it is updated every 24 hours.

We have over 42,000 recoveries, and every recovery for every family is a joy.

We have learnt a lot from what India has done how India has contained it. How India which as you know is the largest producer of generic drugs in the world, how India has not only looked after its own population but how she has reached out to others in the region, the assistance that has been given to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives and look at how India has reached out to Seychelles and other small states.

The money India has put into the India fund which is in the UN and the fact that India has identified $50 million out of $150 million&nbsp;for&nbsp;south-south cooperation for the Commonwealth. That leadership role has been really important and the fact India has committed 10 per cent&nbsp;of its GDP to help in recoveries and people who are suffering directly.

I think that has been leadership and that has been inspirational. People have been talking about that 10 per cent&nbsp;amounting too $256 billion, real money put into the hands of the people of India. The money going directly through the JAM trinity, the policy had been everybody has a bank account, everyone has access to an individual identifier and that everyone has a mobile and that opportunity to make sure that money is getting directly into the hands of people who need it is so important particularly for women because we know that women are the one to look after the family, to feed them and care for them.

This opportunity to give money directly to women in their hands&nbsp;on their phones have made an extraordinary difference, a remarkable one, giving them independence and I think that has been the single most impactful thing India has done to take millions of people out of poverty.

It has been very impressive. People are watching, people are thankful, and the Commonwealth secretariat has been privileged to work very closely to work with India on a number of our objectives.&nbsp;

WION: How do u see India playing a lead role as the largest member of the grouping - both in terms of size and population?

Patricia Scotland: As you know, so many people are impressed by what India has done on Information and communications technology (ICT).

Your minister has been at the forefront of the development of mobile apps, and this interoperability between business and people and government facilitating and developing.

Minister Ravi Prasad has electrified the other members of our Commonwealth family. I remember clearly when the minister came to Sri Lanka for our law ministers&nbsp;meeting and the passion he had expressed on how we should have access to justice to every single person in our Commonwealth and our aspiration that we are going to link innovation and opportunity and the way in which India is trying to deliver services at one dollar per person.

If you look at our poorer countries, our developing countries, smaller countries, they fear or cannot aspire to do or replicate what the developed countries have done because of the cost. When they look at India, and the fact India is developing these things because of the huge population, she is developing these things at a scale and a cost which is accessible to so many. That brings hope.

I had a wonderful opportunity to come to India in January, talking to ministers, all of the elements and I understood India is focusing on how she can help the small, the vulnerable and the developing and I very much welcome that and I look forward to India to play a much bigger role in terms of our provision of technical assistance to our member states, this transfer of information.

People are very excited about the use of Jugaad because this is how to do, with what you have and turn it into something which is electrifying and successful by using innovation, so the work we are doing with India on small and medium-sized businesses.

The support India has given to trade facility, opportunity and all of these things are important and through the India Fund at the UN which has $50 million window for Commonwealth countries, we have been able to access to support for the Bahamas and Barbados.

Both of our small Caribbean nations,&nbsp;small states are anxious at this time, particularly due to climate change which is a threat to all of us. It is heartbreaking to see what has just happened in the last 24 hours as to the most terrible frightening biggest cyclone that has hit West Bengal.

And to hear what is being said by the minister, that this is the worst cyclone to hit West Bengal in living history and the damage is unthinkable and it is worst than the coronavirus.

In the Commonwealth we have been thinking about this, when I was in India we were talking about it. How we face the existential threats that comes from climate change but none of us was ready that while we face climate change issues we will simultaneously deal with a health pandemic which is equally lethal. These two&nbsp;things will create a financial challenge.

WION: How can Commonwealth have its own advantage to counter the economic fallout of the COVID-19 crisis, supporting economic recovery after the crisis?&nbsp;

Patricia Scotland: What we discovered&nbsp;in 2015&nbsp;is that we have something very precious, it is the Commonwealth advantage because of our history, we speak the same language, same common law, we have same parliamentary system, similar institutions that gives us inbuilt 19 per cent&nbsp;advantage when it comes to trading with each other.

It is faster easier, cheaper to trade with a Commonwealth partner because of those similarities. In addition, we identified we trade 20 per cent&nbsp;more with each other&nbsp;than anyone else.

That is something we have not understood before. Up until last year, we had an opportunity to assess how much do we trade now. We trade $700 billion within the Commonwealth.

We have not really invested in that trade, we haven't supported it. So what we are now doing is how we are going to stimulate that. We hope by 2030 that can grow to $2 trillion.

We also know, when we look back in history, the financial difficulties, the crisis we had in 2008, the Commonwealth impact of coming together was very beneficial. We also know small and medium-size business is very important and we know that they are going to go through very difficult times in the next couple of years.

A number of businesses will be threatened with insolvency. We are worried about our regulatory structure and what would be necessary to ease it.

A number of member states do not have the sort of legal support they need. So all the Commonwealth countries are coming together to create a Commonwealth framework, Commonwealth best practice and we working really hard.

If we can pool the knowledge from those who have that knowledge and those who want it, no one is left behind.

India has made a real contribution. We have seen the contribution being made UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, South Africa, Ghana, the Caribbean, the Pacific, all of us coming together, Africa, Asia, Caribbean, the Pacific, the power of that collaboration is second to none and we in the secretariat have been trying to create a platform which will make that coordination easier.

Just as we created a collaborative partnership which we have called common sensing. Collaboration in space tech helped in identifying the terrible cyclone was on its way, we did that in Pacific when cyclone Harold hit.

We are readying ourselves, unfortunately, what common sensing data said that not only the biggest cyclone that we have seen is heading its way to India, Bangladesh but the next tragically will be the region of my birth.

Hurricanes are on the way to the Caribbean, that is our reality. We can help people to respond adequately only if all of us, all 54 continue to do what we have done in the last 70 years, and that is stick together.

I really want to thank India for its leadership, her commitment and continuity and look forward to even closer partnership in years to come so that we really benefit, the 2.4 billion people who we jointly serve.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The Commonwealth which is the third biggest organisation in the world after the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement had lauded India's handling of the COVID-19 crisis, saying there is lot to learn from India.

The Commonwealth which is the third biggest organisation in the world after the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement had lauded India's handling of the COVID-19 crisis, saying there is lot to learn from India. Speaking exclusively to Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal from London, Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said, PM Modi "led from the very beginning" and "followed WHO guidelines really faithfully". Calling India's lockdown "necessary" to keep people safe, Patricia Scotland pointed out that not only "India looked after its own but also reached out to countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles." She also talked about the "heartbreaking" Cyclone Amphan and the existential challenge of climate change. WION: What has been Commonwealth's response during the COVID-19 crisis. The health ministers of the Commonwealth met? Patricia Scotland: What we know and you are right, we have 2.4 billion people in our Commonwealth and important to remember, 60 per cent of that 2.4 billion are under the age of 30. We have a young vibrant population. Not only full of genius and opportunity and needs in terms of employability and what we have learnt after coming together, our 54 countries, is that we really need collaboration, coordination in order to support us with some of these quite existential threats which we are globally facing now, from climate change to the pandemic. So what our health minister understand is this pandemic knows no border, it doesn't respect people or place and it reached its tentacles in all of our homes and all of our lives. The only way, we can respond effectively to this pandemic is by coming together in solidarity through government's, civil society and countries and institutions. And that is what we in the Commonwealth are doing and that is the manifestation when we came together virtually at the world health assembly. In preparation, we did what we always do in the Commonwealth, we did Commonwealth health ministers meeting so that we can talk amongst our members, the small ones, the large ones, the landlocked ones, the rich ones, the poor ones because in our family we are always determined to leave no one behind. So when our family of ministers came together they were asking a number of very pertinent questions. The first was, what do we do, what are all we facing and then they were asking how have each of us responded and what has worked, what has not worked, what do we need in terms of medicines, equipment, research and asked and shared what do we have. Our family works on the basis that if one of us has something, we are willing to share with our brothers and sisters elsewhere. If you look at Commonwealth health ministers statement, I believe, it is an inspirational statement of warmth, solidarity, brotherhood and a real understanding, that this pandemic will only be solved in multilateral, multifaceted and multidimensional cooperation and that is what shines out of the Commonwealth and I was so proud of the information given by every single one of our members, from Fiji in the Pacific to India in Asia. Look at Ghana, Nigeria, UK, Canada all of us, the small island states in the Caribbean who have done such a fantastic job in keeping the virus at bay. So that collaboration was extraordinary. There was a lot of applause for what India has done, the way PM Modi has led from the very beginning. WION: How do you see India's response and do you see it can be emulated across the Commonwealth? Patricia Scotland: India has done an extraordinary job. If you look at when coronavirus attacked India, it was about the same time COVID-19 hit the US. The US has about 330 million people and India has 1.35 billion people but look at what Mr Modi did, he followed, the WHO guidelines really faithfully. That lockdown was so necessary because if you got 1.35 billion people, your most precious essence is your people if you have health, you can have wealth, but if you have no health, your people die, how will they become healthy and wealthy. So putting people first, it has been very difficult for India, because India is spending 4.5 billion dollars a day because of the lockdown but India has put lives of its people first. What is the consequence and the impact of what India has done, we have in India over a lakh case in India but look at the ability of India to reduce death with just around 3,300 deaths. Each one is a tragedy, each one devastating for the family members. But look at comparatively speaking those numbers have been contained. We only have to look at the tragedy unfolding in other countries. We have created a Commonwealth coronavirus tracker, it is updated every 24 hours. We have over 42,000 recoveries, and every recovery for every family is a joy. We have learnt a lot from what India has done how India has contained it. How India which as you know is the largest producer of generic drugs in the world, how India has not only looked after its own population but how she has reached out to others in the region, the assistance that has been given to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives and look at how India has reached out to Seychelles and other small states. The money India has put into the India fund which is in the UN and the fact that India has identified $50 million out of $150 million for south-south cooperation for the Commonwealth. That leadership role has been really important and the fact India has committed 10 per cent of its GDP to help in recoveries and people who are suffering directly. I think that has been leadership and that has been inspirational. People have been talking about that 10 per cent amounting too $256 billion, real money put into the hands of the people of India. The money going directly through the JAM trinity, the policy had been everybody has a bank account, everyone has access to an individual identifier and that everyone has a mobile and that opportunity to make sure that money is getting directly into the hands of people who need it is so important particularly for women because we know that women are the one to look after the family, to feed them and care for them. This opportunity to give money directly to women in their hands on their phones have made an extraordinary difference, a remarkable one, giving them independence and I think that has been the single most impactful thing India has done to take millions of people out of poverty. It has been very impressive. People are watching, people are thankful, and the Commonwealth secretariat has been privileged to work very closely to work with India on a number of our objectives. WION: How do u see India playing a lead role as the largest member of the grouping - both in terms of size and population? Patricia Scotland: As you know, so many people are impressed by what India has done on Information and communications technology (ICT). Your minister has been at the forefront of the development of mobile apps, and this interoperability between business and people and government facilitating and developing. Minister Ravi Prasad has electrified the other members of our Commonwealth family. I remember clearly when the minister came to Sri Lanka for our law ministers meeting and the passion he had expressed on how we should have access to justice to every single person in our Commonwealth and our aspiration that we are going to link innovation and opportunity and the way in which India is trying to deliver services at one dollar per person. If you look at our poorer countries, our developing countries, smaller countries, they fear or cannot aspire to do or replicate what the developed countries have done because of the cost. When they look at India, and the fact India is developing these things because of the huge population, she is developing these things at a scale and a cost which is accessible to so many. That brings hope. I had a wonderful opportunity to come to India in January, talking to ministers, all of the elements and I understood India is focusing on how she can help the small, the vulnerable and the developing and I very much welcome that and I look forward to India to play a much bigger role in terms of our provision of technical assistance to our member states, this transfer of information. People are very excited about the use of Jugaad because this is how to do, with what you have and turn it into something which is electrifying and successful by using innovation, so the work we are doing with India on small and medium-sized businesses. The support India has given to trade facility, opportunity and all of these things are important and through the India Fund at the UN which has $50 million window for Commonwealth countries, we have been able to access to support for the Bahamas and Barbados. Both of our small Caribbean nations, small states are anxious at this time, particularly due to climate change which is a threat to all of us. It is heartbreaking to see what has just happened in the last 24 hours as to the most terrible frightening biggest cyclone that has hit West Bengal. And to hear what is being said by the minister, that this is the worst cyclone to hit West Bengal in living history and the damage is unthinkable and it is worst than the coronavirus. In the Commonwealth we have been thinking about this, when I was in India we were talking about it. How we face the existential threats that comes from climate change but none of us was ready that while we face climate change issues we will simultaneously deal with a health pandemic which is equally lethal. These two things will create a financial challenge. WION: How can Commonwealth have its own advantage to counter the economic fallout of the COVID-19 crisis, supporting economic recovery after the crisis? Patricia Scotland: What we discovered in 2015 is that we have something very precious, it is the Commonwealth advantage because of our history, we speak the same language, same common law, we have same parliamentary system, similar institutions that gives us inbuilt 19 per cent advantage when it comes to trading with each other. It is faster easier, cheaper to trade with a Commonwealth partner because of those similarities. In addition, we identified we trade 20 per cent more with each other than anyone else. That is something we have not understood before. Up until last year, we had an opportunity to assess how much do we trade now. We trade $700 billion within the Commonwealth. We have not really invested in that trade, we haven't supported it. So what we are now doing is how we are going to stimulate that. We hope by 2030 that can grow to $2 trillion. We also know, when we look back in history, the financial difficulties, the crisis we had in 2008, the Commonwealth impact of coming together was very beneficial. We also know small and medium-size business is very important and we know that they are going to go through very difficult times in the next couple of years. A number of businesses will be threatened with insolvency. We are worried about our regulatory structure and what would be necessary to ease it. A number of member states do not have the sort of legal support they need. So all the Commonwealth countries are coming together to create a Commonwealth framework, Commonwealth best practice and we working really hard. If we can pool the knowledge from those who have that knowledge and those who want it, no one is left behind. India has made a real contribution. We have seen the contribution being made UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, South Africa, Ghana, the Caribbean, the Pacific, all of us coming together, Africa, Asia, Caribbean, the Pacific, the power of that collaboration is second to none and we in the secretariat have been trying to create a platform which will make that coordination easier. Just as we created a collaborative partnership which we have called common sensing. Collaboration in space tech helped in identifying the terrible cyclone was on its way, we did that in Pacific when cyclone Harold hit. We are readying ourselves, unfortunately, what common sensing data said that not only the biggest cyclone that we have seen is heading its way to India, Bangladesh but the next tragically will be the region of my birth. Hurricanes are on the way to the Caribbean, that is our reality. We can help people to respond adequately only if all of us, all 54 continue to do what we have done in the last 70 years, and that is stick together. I really want to thank India for its leadership, her commitment and continuity and look forward to even closer partnership in years to come so that we really benefit, the 2.4 billion people who we jointly serve.

Commonwealth lauds New Delhi's handling of COVID-19 crisis; says lot to learn from India

In a super exclusive interview, Secretary-General of the 3rd largest organisation in world--the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland has spoken to WION on COVID crisis, India's response, India's role in the body. Speaking exclusively to Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal from London, Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said, PM Modi "led from the very beginning" and "followed WHO guidelines really faithfully".

WION in conversation with Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland