The Colombo Plan Secretariat

IN FOCUS

The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka has been hosting The Colombo Plan since its inception. A memorandum of understanding signed on 20th February 1996 grants The Colombo Plan a status equivalent to that accorded to missions of international and inter-governmental organisations.

HIGHLIGHT

The Consultative Committee, comprises all member governments and is the highest review & policy-making body. Its biennial meetings (CCM) provide a forum for the exchange of views on current development problems faced by the member countries and review the work of the Colombo Plan in terms of economic and social development within the region.

PRESS RELEASE

The Colombo Plan marks 73 years of collaboration and impact with the launch of the Training of Trainers (ToT) on Dignified Menstruation (DM)

About The Colombo Plan

The Colombo Plan is an inter-governmental organisation consisting of 28 member countries operating on the partnership concept of self-help and mutual help to enhance human capital development and south-south cooperation.

The Colombo Plan Bureau which later evolved into the Colombo Plan, was instituted in 1951 at the Commonwealth Conference on Foreign Affairs held in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Our Timeline

Assistance

The Foreign Ministers of the British Commonwealth meet to discuss international affairs in Colombo where Australia and Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) proposes joint financial and technical assistance to the region’s developing nations.

Assistance

1950

Development

The Colombo Plan is launched and begins by laying the groundwork for education, healthcare, agriculture, science and infrastructure development, gradually evolving to guide its member countries towards robust industrial sectors.

Development

1951-1971

Cooperation

The Colombo Plan reaffirms its commitment to technical cooperation and human capital development with the establishment of CPDAP pioneering notable initiatives in drug demand and supply reduction.

Cooperation

1972-1988

Catalyst

At crossroads, despite the reduced need for external technical assistance, the Colombo Plan forges ahead, buoyed by members' belief in its potential as a catalyst for regional development cooperation.

Catalyst

1989-1994

Collaboration

Embracing new directions, the Colombo Plan pivots towards South-to-South cooperation, catering to both the region's development and the Colombo Plan’s capacities; that of technical co-operation.

Collaboration

1995-2004

Mission

The Colombo Plan gains renewed impetus in its global mission for DDR. As the oldest regional inter-governmental programme in the Asia-Pacific region, it ventures into certification, global prevention and treatment protocols, and the development of training curricula.

Mission

2005-2019

Capacity

Stepping into a decade of milestones, online self-led curricula play a pivotal role in global DDR and capacity building, facilitating outreach to new countries and providing accessible services to both memeber and non-member countries.

Capacity

2020 - 2024

Inspire Change. Forge Global Progress

At The Colombo Plan, we are committed to recruiting exceptional individuals from diverse backgrounds from across the globe. Preference is given to candidates from member countries of The Colombo Plan or countries actively involved in our initiatives. We strive to build a talented and inclusive team dedicated to advancing regional cooperation and development in Asia-Pacific.

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