Commonwealth finance ministers will discuss the implications of rising food and fuel prices on their economies at their annual meeting to be held in Castries, St Lucia, from October 6-8.

The meeting will bring together ministers, senior finance officials and delegates from the 53 member countries of the Commonwealth.

The meeting traditionally takes place just before annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank in Washington, allowing Commonwealth ministers to take joint concerns and positions into those meetings.

“High food and energy prices present serious humanitarian, development and macro-economic challenges to all members of the Commonwealth, and particularly to finance ministers,” said Commonwealth secretary-general, Kamalesh Sharma.

“The discussions should enable ministers to identify short-and long-term policy responses to the fuel and energy crisis, not least by sharing their comparative experience,” the Commonwealth secretary-general added.