Cambridge Policy Boot Camp (CPBC) used by Commonwealth, policy makers and global finance sector leaders to codesign finance facility for Small Island Developing countries
25 August 2023: Please see this video explaining our collaborative 'Their Future, Our Action' project with the Commonwealth.
30 May 2023: The Centre for Resilience and Sustainable Development (CRSD) held the latest in its series of Cambridge Policy Boot Camps (CPBC) as part of its ongoing collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat on improving Small Island Developing States (SIDS) access to development finance through the project Their Time, Our Action.
The CPBC enables Boot Camp participants to quickly identify and document potential solutions for a complex policy problem. The aim is to integrate multiple perspectives, from multiple stakeholders, to generate practical and resilient solutions within a given context with regard to resource availability.
This CPBC focussed on the theme of reforming international financial governance to proactively de-risk investment in SIDS large-scale projects for investors, investees and financial intermediaries. Currently all stakeholders face too much risk, and SIDS cannot access the finance they need for development and to respond to the climate crisis.
Speaking at the opening of the CPBC, Commonwealth Secretary-General Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC said:
“This collaboration between Cambridge University and the Commonwealth Secretariat is another example of our holistic, innovative and action-oriented support for our Small Island Developing States.
And it is delivering qualitative and quantitative data and scientific evidence: both to enhance our case for investing in SIDS and to demonstrate what SIDS can offer the investment community.”
CRSD Founder and Director Dr Nazia M. Habib commented:
“The challenges SIDS face in accessing finance is well understood. By using our innovative CPBC techniques we can bridge the gap between excellent research, professional expertise and the needs of SIDS to find creative, transformative solutions.”
The CPBC was attended by finance and SIDS experts from around the world including representatives of investment bank Standard Chartered, the World Bank and IMF, IBM, global law firms DLA Piper and Clifford Chance, a number of impact entrepreneurs from Haiti, Kenya, India and the UK as well as experts from the Commonwealth Secretariat.
Outcomes from this CPBC will be used to develop a working model of financial governance, that will be stress tested and evaluated with Commonwealth stakeholders and the finance sector later in 2023.
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