CHOGM 2026 in Antigua: What It Is and What’s Happening

CHOGM 2026 runs 1–4 November in St John’s, Antigua. Here’s what the summit is, who’s attending, the side forums and what the Caribbean wants.

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November 2, 2026

4–6 minutes

All eyes in the Commonwealth are on the Wadadli shores this week. CHOGM 2026 in Antigua, the 28th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, runs from 1 to 4 November in St John’s. Antigua and Barbuda is the smallest country ever to host the summit, and it is doing so in the same week it celebrates 45 years of independence. Here is what CHOGM is, who is there and what is happening, as of Monday 2 November 2026.

What is CHOGM?

CHOGM brings together leaders of the Commonwealth’s 56 member countries, home to about 2.7 billion people, usually every two years. Antigua and Barbuda was chosen as host at the end of the 2024 meeting in Samoa. Prime Minister Gaston Browne chairs this edition, and cricket legend Sir Vivian Richards is the summit’s envoy. It is also the first CHOGM for Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey, who took office in April 2025.

Dates and theme of CHOGM 2026 in Antigua

Dates: 1–4 November 2026
Venue: St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda
Theme: “Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth”
Priorities: climate resilience, trade and investment, innovation, equality and sustainable development
Logo: an abstract magnificent frigatebird by artist Chaneil C. Imhoff

Who’s attending

King Charles III, Head of the Commonwealth, will address the opening ceremony on Tuesday 3 November, with Queen Camilla. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham is expected to meet the King at the summit. Caribbean leaders include Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali, Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Davis, St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Godwin Friday and Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who planned to travel on 2 November. Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya has arrived, Singapore is represented by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, and Kenya by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.

Days 1 and 2: what has happened so far

Independence weekend: The King and Queen were scheduled to attend Antigua and Barbuda’s 45th independence parade at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium and to meet West Indies greats Sir Viv Richards, Sir Richie Richardson, Sir Andy Roberts and Sir Curtly Ambrose.
Cricket diplomacy: Sunday 1 November was set for “One Commonwealth, One Team”, a friendly leaders’ match with President Ali captaining the Caribbean side, plus an Under-23 game.
Ministers at work: Foreign ministers and a ministerial meeting on small states come before the leaders’ sessions. On the sidelines, Malta and Grenada announced an agreement on diplomatic training.
Forums: The Commonwealth Women’s Forum runs 2–4 November.

Still to come are the opening ceremony on 3 November and the Leaders’ Retreat on 4 November, a private session for heads of government only.

The side forums

Youth Forum: around 300 young delegates, themed “Investing in Youth Agency—Co-Creating Pathways towards Shared Prosperity”.
Women’s Forum: 2–4 November in St John’s.
People’s Forum: run by the Commonwealth Foundation with the host government, covering climate justice, economic inclusion and freedom of expression.
Business Forum: connecting leaders with investors.

There are also side events on eye health, sport for development and peace, blue finance and governance. One Commonwealth Night, hosted by Prime Minister Browne, celebrates the region with music, poetry and dance.

What Caribbean leaders are pushing for

Money for climate and growth. Small island states want easier access to finance as climate threats grow. Twenty developing Commonwealth countries have put forward investment-ready projects worth US$34 billion in climate, trade and youth jobs. Planned outcomes include a Commonwealth trade work programme and a common platform on sustainable debt and concessional funding.

Reparations. CARICOM leaders agreed in July 2026 that reparations should have a strong presence at this summit, and CARICOM Reparations Commission chair Sir Hilary Beckles has called for a respectful “dialogue of decency”. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he is open to a formal apology for Britain’s role in slavery but has ruled out financial reparations. CARICOM chair Philip J. Pierre said the bloc is ready to engage but that an apology without repair is incomplete. The Palace says the King will speak about the slave trade with “sincere sorrow” in his opening speech, and that decisions about an apology are for the government.

Guyana’s role

President Ali arrives fresh from hosting the King in Georgetown and from Guyana’s second Global Biodiversity Alliance Conference. He plans to propose a Commonwealth subcommittee that would work with Britain to identify and cost the development gaps left by slavery in health, education, infrastructure and climate resilience. On the field, he is captaining the Caribbean leaders’ cricket side.

Visiting Antigua after the summit? Start with our Antigua beaches guide, and brush up on the region’s favourite sport with West Indies cricket explained.

Sources

— Harpy Express Barbados & OECS Desk

Antigua and Barbuda, CARICOM, CHOGM 2026, Climate finance, Commonwealth, St John’s, Trending