The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent countries. It is home to 2.5 billion people, and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. 33 of the members are small states, including many island nations.

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is an economic and geopolitical organisation of eight countries that are primarily located in South Asia. The SAARC Secretariat is based in Kathmandu, Nepal.