About the Commonwealth enterprise and investment council (CWEIC)

The CWEIC was established in 2014 with the support of the Commonwealth Secretariat and member Governments to be the Commonwealth's apex business organisation. It is a not for profit membership organisation with a mandate from Commonwealth Heads of Government to promote intra Commonwealth trade, investment and the role of the private sector across the 52 member countries.

The CWEIC is responsible for organising the Commonwealth Business Forum alongside the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and Commonwealth Trade Ministers Meeting on alternative years.

The organisation holds a number of different scale and format events each year, providing Members with networking opportunities, access to leading Commonwealth figures from the worlds of government and business, and the chance to shape the Commonwealth’s business policies and agenda.

CWEIC and The Isle of Man

As a part of the Commonwealth community, the Isle of Man is a strategic partner and member of the CWEIC. This involves:

• Being a member of the International Advisory Board of CWEIC, which helps shape and promote trade and investment across the Commonwealth.
• Participation in Commonwealth events including the Commonwealth Business Forum and CWEIC partner-led events including CWEIC Commonwealth Country/Regional Roundtables and Commonwealth ministerial and private sector leadership meetings.
• Participation in partner-led events; and opportunity for the Isle of Man Government to engage with other CWEIC strategic partners, investors, subject experts and government representatives.
• Involvement in CWEIC's 'CommonwealthFirst Programme'; a project which has involved 100 leading UK SMEs coming together to become Commonwealth Export Champions; its mission to encourage small and medium enterprises to trade and invest across the Commonwealth. The Isle of Man's Strategic Partnership with the CWEIC has enabled PDMS, an Isle of Man based company, to become a 'CommonwealthFirst Export Champion' (Isle of Man businesses would not otherwise have been eligible to apply). Intensive training, mentoring, access to CWEIC trade missions and business development support is provided with the aim for Export Champions to win new business in Commonwealth markets. The next opportunity to apply to become an Export Champion will be from April 2019.

Events

CWEIC events all aim to provide member organisations with the knowledge and contacts they need to achieve more in Commonwealth markets. These include high profile speaker, business forums and round tables events.

Industry and business from the Isle of Man are invited to attend certain CWEIC events. 

CWEIC ACTIVITIES CALENDAR 2019

• Spring 2019 - Invest in Cameroon, London 
• September 2019 - Invest in Cyprus, London
• TBC - Invest in Sri Lanka, London 

For more information on CWEIC events, click here.

More Information

If you would like to keep up to date with the Department's involvement with the CWEIC and the latest CWEIC news and events, please email CWEIC-Contact.DFE@gov.im