PETALING JAYA: A new challenge awaits senior Malaysian diplomat Datuk Sudha Devi Vasudevan (pix), and it revolves around governance.
As the new chair of the Commonwealth Foundation, her main focus will be on enhancing the active and constructive participation of the people in ensuring that development initiatives deliver desired outcomes.
Among others, she hopes to give space to the marginalised to voice their concerns that are not adequately addressed in the mainstream agenda.
“This can be done by strengthening our capacity to engage with governments not only to be an effective participant but also to ensure our views are taken into account in the formulation of policies,” she told theSun.
While this is not a walk in the park, it cannot be denied that the career diplomat and civil servant is more than ready.
Sudha Devi is the first Asian to be elected to head the foundation since it was formed in 1966.
“My appointment is testimony to our commitment to support the work of the foundation in amplifying the voice of the people in participatory governance,” she said.
Among her strategies is to create a greater awareness of the work of the foundation to spur a greater interest among Malaysian civil society organisations to draw on the support of the foundation in capacity building.
She said the foundation is in the midst of developing its 2021-2026 Strategic Plan that will chart its course for the next five years.
“We will have the best approaches in utilising flexibility and creativity to extend the reach and raise the impact of the foundation while managing high expectations with its limited resources,” she added.
Sudha Devi’s two-year term commenced in January. While she has spent most of her working life in the civil service, she believes a short stint at the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry had given her invaluable experience of the work culture in the private sector.
She said that as chair of the foundation, her role would be to lead the annual meeting of its board of governors which comprises representatives of all member governments - who are mainly the respective countries’ high commissioners based in London - as well as five civil society representatives.
She will also represent the foundation at inter-governmental meetings and public events, serve as ambassador for the foundation to promote its vision and mission.
Sudha Devi retired from the Malaysian civil service in June last year after serving the Foreign Ministry for 34 years.
She had her early education in Kulim, Kedah and went on to earn a Bachelor of Economics at Universiti Malaya.
Her path to the diplomatic service was by chance, not design.
“If I may say, it was the career that chose me and not vice versa. I graduated in the midst of a recession and jobs were scarce. The Administrative and Diplomatic Service offered the opportunity and appeal of contributing to policy-making,” she recalled.
Sudha Devi said her initial hope was to be part of a ministry that would enable her to utilise her knowledge in economics and business administration, but she was eventually posted to the Foreign Ministry.
In her new role, Sudha Devi will focus on ensuring the foundation remains effective in serving the interests of stakeholders and partners by being agile and flexible enough to take on challenges posed by a changing work environment.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has compounded problems such as unemployment, rising global debt, increasing inequality and a growing refugee crisis, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable among us,” she said.
“I hope to lead the foundation in delivering results and in achieving its full potential to effect change and create better lives for the people of the Commonwealth,” she added.
