It is located at Marlborough House in London, the United Kingdom, a former royal residence that was given by Queen Elizabeth II, Head of the Commonwealth at the time.

[4] Other attempts by members to create similar central bodies, such as a medical conference (proposed by New Zealand), a development bank (Jamaica), and an institution for satellite communications (Canada) failed.

However, the new African members were keener to create an independent inter-governmental "central clearing house" (as Ghana's Kwame Nkrumah described it) to remove power from the older dominions.

Simultaneously, Smith was performing his first official visit as Secretary General to East and Central Africa.

As a result, the prime ministers of the Commonwealth formed a sanctions committee that taught prime ministers how the sanctions they implemented on the "illegal" Salisbury regime were maintained, and a standing committee primarily focused on assisting to train Rhodesian Africans.

[5] The Rhodesian Crisis proved the Commonwealth Secretariat's competence and credibility as their professional diplomat skills allowed them to respond to crises immediately and efficiently.

[7] All members of staff are exempt from income tax, under the International Organisations Act 2005, which redefined the legal status of the Secretariat.

[10] The building itself was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and served as the London residence of the dukes of Marlborough until it was given to Princess Charlotte in 1817.

[12] As of November 2007, when the Commonwealth Heads of Government held a meeting in Uganda, they reviewed and solidified the rules for membership into the Secretariat.

[7] The Secretariat focuses on protecting Commonwealth states and their environment by promoting sustainable practices for natural resources.

This program helps to facilitate an understanding and overview of the capacity member states have to meet their Paris Agreement commitments.

The Secretariat develops programmes to encourage democratic practices, good governance strategies, peace, and the rule of law.

The Secretariat emphasizes a focus for the younger generation in enhancing their potential through sports, universal healthcare, gender equality, education, and peacebuilding.

[7] These youth focused programs are meant to nurture growing generations into creating resilient and harmonic societies for the future.