Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has held high-level talks with Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Barbuda Affairs, E.P. Chet Greene, in London as preparations intensify for the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
The meeting took place ahead of the Commonwealth Preparatory Committee Meetings at Marlborough House, where senior officials from across the 56-member Commonwealth have convened from 30 June to 3 July to shape the agenda for CHOGM 2026, which Antigua and Barbuda will host in St. John’s from 1 to 4 November.
In a post on Facebook, Secretary-General Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey described the upcoming summit as a pivotal moment for the Commonwealth, emphasizing its significance in shaping the bloc’s future priorities and collective agenda.
“Antigua and Barbuda CHOGM 2026 will be a moment of strategic opportunity to set the direction of our Commonwealth family and turn shared priorities into action for our 2.7 billion people,” she wrote.
The discussions centred on the host nation’s preparations for the summit, programme development, logistical arrangements and the official Commonwealth forums that will accompany the meeting. Minister Greene, who also chairs Antigua and Barbuda’s National Taskforce for CHOGM 2026, briefed the Secretary-General on progress made by the host country, including accommodation planning and operational readiness.
He disclosed that the accommodation committee is currently engaging with representatives from 37 Commonwealth countries, reflecting growing interest and expected high-level participation at the summit.
Held under the theme, “Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth,” CHOGM 2026 will bring together Heads of Government, foreign ministers, business executives, civil society organisations, youth leaders and development partners to advance collective action on climate resilience, trade and investment, digital innovation, equality and sustainable development.
The summit is expected to reinforce the Commonwealth’s role as a platform for political dialogue, economic cooperation and shared prosperity across its member states.
The engagement between Secretary-General Botchwey and Minister Greene also reaffirmed the close collaboration between the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Government of Antigua and Barbuda in ensuring the successful delivery of the biennial summit, widely regarded as the Commonwealth’s highest decision-making forum.
As preparations gather momentum, London is hosting a series of high-level engagements, including a Commonwealth Leaders’ Lunch jointly convened by the Antigua and Barbuda High Commission in the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC), and the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI). The engagements are aimed at mobilising political commitment and private-sector investment ahead of CHOGM 2026, while showcasing Antigua and Barbuda’s vision for a summit focused on partnerships, investment and sustainable economic growth.
Minister Greene was accompanied during the meeting by Antigua and Barbuda’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Karen-Mae Hill, Minister Counsellor Chantal Phillip, and Second Secretary Brent Scotland.
The consultations underscore the Commonwealth Secretariat’s commitment to working closely with the host nation to deliver a summit that responds to the evolving priorities of member states while strengthening cooperation across one of the world’s most diverse intergovernmental organisations.
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