Foreign Affairs Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe attended a Commonwealth service in Antigua and Barbuda on Sunday as the country welcomed delegates for the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla attended the service, alongside Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne and Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey.
The meeting runs from November 1 to 4 in St John’s, bringing together leaders and ministers from Commonwealth countries.
Its theme, “Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth,” places trade and investment at the centre of this year’s discussions.
Foreign ministers are scheduled to meet before the leaders’ sessions. Among the priorities identified for discussion are barriers to trade between Commonwealth countries, sustainable debt and access to finance for countries vulnerable to economic and climate pressures.
The Commonwealth has also assembled proposals valued at $34 billion from 20 developing member countries for discussion with investors and development partners. The proposals concern areas including climate, trade and youth employment; the figure represents projects seeking investment, not funding already secured.
A Youth Forum and a Business Forum are taking place alongside the government meetings.
The youth gathering is expected to bring together about 300 delegates to develop recommendations for Commonwealth leaders, while the business forum will connect investors, entrepreneurs and policymakers.
Rwanda joined the Commonwealth in 2009 and hosted its heads of government meeting in Kigali in 2022. Samoa hosted the following edition in 2024. King Charles III is scheduled to address this year’s formal opening ceremony on November 3.
Elie GATETE
RADIOTV10