2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

28th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
CHOGM 2026
Host countryAntigua and Barbuda
Dates1–4 November 2026
CitiesSt. John's
Participants56 Commonwealth member states
ChairGaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda
Follows2024
Websitechogm26.gov.ag

The 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, also known as CHOGM 2026, is scheduled to be the 28th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, bringing together leaders and representatives of the 56 member states of the Commonwealth of Nations.[1] It is to be held in St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda, from 1 to 4 November 2026.[2] Antigua and Barbuda will be the smallest country to have hosted a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.[3]

The summit's theme is "Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth". Its announced priorities include climate resilience, trade and investment, innovation, equality and sustainable development.[4]

Background and preparations

Antigua and Barbuda was selected as the host of the meeting on the final day of the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa.[5]

The theme and official logo were unveiled in St. John's in November 2025. The logo was designed by Antiguan artist Chaneil C. Imhoff and incorporates an abstract depiction of the magnificent frigatebird, the country's national bird. Former cricketer Viv Richards was appointed the summit's envoy.[4]

Business, youth, women's and people's forums are scheduled to be held alongside the meeting.[2] The Commonwealth Youth Forum is expected to include approximately 300 delegates and will be held under the theme "Investing in Youth Agency—Co-Creating Pathways towards Shared Prosperity".[6]

The meeting will be the first CHOGM held during the tenure of Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, who was selected at the 2024 summit and assumed office on 1 April 2025.[7]

Expected agenda

The summit is expected to address issues affecting Small Island Developing States, including climate change and access to investment, as well as international trade, technological innovation, equality and sustainable development.[2][3]

Reparatory justice

Reparations for slavery are expected to be discussed at the summit. At the November 2025 launch of CHOGM 2026, Browne said that the Commonwealth should establish a framework for discussing and resolving the issue.[8] Former prime minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Ralph Gonsalves subsequently called for reparatory justice to be a central issue at the meeting.[9]

In June 2026, African and Caribbean representatives endorsed a 19-point reparations plan at a conference in Ghana. The plan called for measures including formal apologies, debt relief, development financing, the return of cultural property and the establishment of a global reparations fund.[10]

At the 51st Regular Meeting of the Caribbean Community heads of government, held in Saint Lucia from 5 to 8 July 2026, regional leaders agreed that the reparations campaign should have a prominent presence at CHOGM 2026. They also supported continued cooperation with the African Union and Jamaica's planned petition to Charles III concerning reparations.[11] The leaders also expressed support for constitutional negotiations and governance reforms in the Caribbean's remaining non-self-governing territories, stating that their peoples' right to self-determination should be protected and advanced.[11]

The following week, the CARICOM Reparations Commission called for the decolonisation of the remaining British, French, Dutch and American territories in the Caribbean. Commission chair Hilary Beckles described the Caribbean as the world's most colonised region, while Barbados's ambassador to CARICOM, David Comissiong, said that decolonisation had been incorporated into the commission's revised reparations manifesto as a central demand. The commission called upon Charles III, who is expected to address CHOGM, to support greater sovereignty and self-determination for the remaining territories.[12][13]

Royal succession

In the months preceding the summit, the governments of Canada, Australia and New Zealand expressed support for removing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the line of succession to the British throne.[14][15]

The British government was considering legislation to remove Mountbatten-Windsor, a change that would require coordination among the 15 Commonwealth realms.[16][17][18] The Times reported in March 2026 that Charles was expected to discuss the issue privately with several Commonwealth leaders.[19] As of July 2026, royal succession had not been included among the summit's officially announced priorities.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting #28". UIA Global Civil Society Database. Union of International Associations. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)". The Commonwealth. Commonwealth Secretariat. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  3. 1 2 Editorial Staff (26 October 2024). "Antigua and Barbuda to host 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting". Antigua News. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  4. 1 2 "Antigua and Barbuda ignites Commonwealth journey to CHOGM 2026 with new theme on partnership and prosperity". The Commonwealth. Commonwealth Secretariat. 4 November 2025. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  5. ↑ "CHOGM 2024: Day 6 highlights". The Commonwealth. Commonwealth Secretariat. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  6. ↑ "23 young leaders selected for 2026 Commonwealth Youth Forum International Taskforce". The Commonwealth. Commonwealth Secretariat. 12 June 2026. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  7. ↑ "Secretary-General, Shirley Botchwey". The Commonwealth. Commonwealth Secretariat. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
  8. ↑ Emmanuel, Robert Andre (5 November 2025). "The countdown to CHOGM 2026 officially begins". Antigua Observer. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  9. ↑ Duncan, Natricia (11 May 2026). "UK slavery reparations must be top issue at Commonwealth summit, says former Caribbean leader". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  10. ↑ Bruce, Emmanuel (19 June 2026). "African, Caribbean states back slavery reparations plan at Ghana meeting". Reuters. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  11. 1 2 "Communiqué: Fifty-First Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)". CARICOM. Caribbean Community Secretariat. 10 July 2026. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
  12. ↑ Osuh, Chris (14 July 2026). "Caribbean calls for return of British Virgin Islands – and for King Charles to back decolonisation". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
  13. ↑ Coto, Dánica (14 July 2026). "Caribbean leaders press for slavery reparations, end of islands' territorial status". Associated Press. Retrieved 14 July 2026.
  14. ↑ Corlett, Eva; staff, Guardian (23 February 2026). "New Zealand would back removal of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from royal line of succession, says PM". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
  15. ↑ Boynton, Sean (6 March 2026). "Carney says former prince Andrew should be removed from line to throne". Global News. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  16. ↑ Zimonjic, Peter (23 February 2026). "Why removing Andrew from the line of succession is not as easy as it sounds". CBC News. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  17. ↑ Wheeler, Richard; Eardley, Nick (21 February 2026). "Government considers removing Andrew from royal line of succession". BBC News. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  18. ↑ Boucher, Harriette (25 February 2026). "How Commonwealth nations hold the key to removing Andrew from the line of succession". The Independent. Retrieved 2 July 2026.
  19. ↑ "King Charles set to discuss Andrew and succession with Commonwealth". The Times. 8 March 2026. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
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