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==History==
The Secretariat was established by Heads of Government in 1965, taking over many of the functions of the United Kingdom Government's [[Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations|Commonwealth Relations Office]], as part of a major shake-up of the organisation of the Commonwealth. At the same time, the United Kingdom succeeded in advocating the creation of the Secretariat's sister organisation, the [[Commonwealth Foundation]] was founded to foster non-governmental relations and the promotion of the [[Commonwealth Family]] network of civil societies.<ref name="Canada and the creation of the Commonwealth Secretariat">{{cite journal |doi=10.2307/40203725 |last=McIntyre |first=W. David |authorlink=W. David McIntyre |
The creation of the Secretariat itself was a contentious issue. The United Kingdom and other long-established countries had hoped to slow the tide of expansion of Commonwealth membership to prevent the dilution of their traditional power within the Commonwealth (particularly after the admission of [[Cyprus]]).<ref name="Canada and the creation of the Commonwealth Secretariat" /> This may have involved a dual-tiered Commonwealth, requiring the continuation of the organisation of Commonwealth co-operation by meetings, rather than a central administration. 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.<ref name="Canada and the creation of the Commonwealth Secretariat" /> [[Milton Obote]] of [[Uganda]] was the first to propose a specifically titled 'secretariat', which was then formally proposed by [[Eric Williams]] of [[Trinidad and Tobago]], who wished to see it based upon the secretariats of the [[Organization of American States|OAS]], [[European Economic Community|EEC]], and [[Organisation of African Unity|OAU]].<ref name="Canada and the creation of the Commonwealth Secretariat" />
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The chief executive of the Secretariat, and of the Commonwealth as a whole, is the [[Commonwealth Secretary-General]].<ref>{{cite news |first= |last= |title=Profile: The Commonwealth |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/country_profiles/1554175.stm |publisher=[[BBC News]] |date= |accessdate=16 June 2008 }}</ref> All Secretariat staff report to the secretary-general, who is also responsible for spending the Secretariat's budget, which is granted by the [[Commonwealth Heads of Government|Heads of Government]]. It is the secretary-general, and not the ceremonial [[Head of the Commonwealth]], that represents the Commonwealth publicly. The secretary-general is elected by the Heads of Government at the [[Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting]]s for terms of four years; previously, until 2000, a term was five years. The current secretary-general [[India]]'s [[Kamalesh Sharma]], who replaced [[Don McKinnon]] as secretary-general on 1 April 2008.<ref name="Kamalesh Sharma">{{ cite web |publisher = Commonwealth Secretariat |title = Kamalesh Sharma is new Commonwealth secretary-general |url=http://www.thecommonwealth.org/news/172993/241107newsg.htm |accessdate=24 November 2007 }}</ref>
The secretary-general is assisted by two [[Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General|deputy secretaries-general]]: one responsible for economic affairs (currently [[Ransford Smith]] of [[Jamaica]]) and one for political affairs ([[Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba]] of [[Botswana]]). He is also assisted by an assistant secretary-general for corporate affairs [[Stephen Cutts]]. There are ten [[directors from the Commonwealth Secretariat]]. The secretary-general may appoint junior staff at his own discretion, provided the Secretariat can afford it, whilst the more senior staff may be appointed only from a shortlist of nominations from the Heads of Government.<ref name="Doxey">{{cite journal |last=Doxey |first=Margaret |
All members of staff are exempt from [[Income tax in the United Kingdom|income tax]], under the [[International Organisations Act 2005]], which redefined the legal status of the Secretariat.
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