Colombo Plan - Present members

A plan drawn up by British Commonwealth foreign ministers in Colombo, Sri Lanka (Jan 1950), whose purpose was the co-operative development of the countries of S and SE Asia. Colombo also houses the headquarters of the Council for Technical Co-operation, which assists with planning agriculture and industry, health services, scientific research and the training and equipping of personnel. Significant contributions to the aid programme are made by the USA, along with the assisted countries themselves, other Commonwealth countries, Japan, and the International Bank.

It was established May 1950 after a meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Commonwealth of Nations in Colombo, Sri Lanka (then Ceylon), coming into full operation July 1951.

Present members

Afghanistan Australia Bangladesh Bhutan Fiji Islands India Indonesia Iran Japan Republic of Korea Laos Malaysia The Maldives Mongolia Myanmar Nepal New Zealand Pakistan Papua New Guinea Philippines Singapore Sri Lanka Thailand United States Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Several states have left.

Further Reading: Daniel Oakman, Facing Asia: A History of the Colombo Plan, Pandanus Books, Canberra, 2004.