Australian PM heads to Antigua and Barbuda for Commonwealth summit

By Umesh Dhakal – KNA Canberra

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will travel to Antigua and Barbuda to attend the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) from 31 October to 4 November. The gathering will bring together representatives from over 50 Commonwealth countries to discuss challenges and opportunities under the theme of accelerating partnerships and investment.‍​​​​​​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‍

This is Albanese’s second CHOGM, following his attendance at the 2024 meeting in Samoa. It marks the first visit by an Australian prime minister to the Caribbean since 2009. The meeting is being hosted by Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda.

Albanese said the meeting provides an opportunity to work with Commonwealth partners on key challenges. “The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is an important forum, providing Australia an opportunity to work with some of our closest partners on shared challenges, including climate change, the preservation of our oceans, trade and investment, and the rise of AI,” he said.‍​​​​​​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‍

He is also using the forum to advance Australia’s campaign for a seat on the United Nations Security Council for 2029–30.

The Commonwealth comprises 56 countries representing 2.7 billion people from advanced and developing economies worldwide. Albanese highlighted the deep connections between Australia and the Commonwealth, noting that 3.3 million Australians were born in other Commonwealth countries, linking the nation through families, businesses, culture and sport.‍​​​​​​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‍

Source: Licensed from the Commonwealth of Australia under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence (pm.gov.au). Changes may have been made. Distributed via BLINK Wire. Original release