Commonwealth leaders agree to double intra-commonwealth trade by 2030 at CHOGM 2026

Antigua and Barbuda: Commonwealth leaders have agreed to double the trade among member countries by 2030, Prime Minister Gaston Browne announced during the closing press conference of the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

The summit has been an exceptionally successful one, led by PM Browne, who now takes over as Commonwealth Chair-in-Office from Samoa.

He said, “So all in all, I'll say an extremely successful meeting,” and noted that, “Antigua and Barbuda would have set a new framework for future Commonwealth meetings, meetings that I would say will be more impactful and will create greater value for the peoples of the Commonwealth.”

Commonwealth Secretary General Shirley Botchwey said it was an ambitious and active summit. For the first time there were investors and development partners present at the table with leaders. They looked at bankable projects worth US$52 billion across 28 countries.

“As promised, and as has been rightly described by the Prime Minister, it has been a summit of ambition and action,” she said.

“For the first time at a CHOGM, investors and development partners sat at the table with Commonwealth leaders to discuss bankable projects from 28 countries valued at US$52 billion,” she added.

Botchwey said US$500 million in new commitments had been mobilised for trade, climate resilience and youth opportunity. Outcomes she listed:

• A Commonwealth Trade portal to connect small and medium-sized businesses to buyers and investors

• Support to establish a US$300 million Commonwealth Aspiration Fund to provide skills to 10 million young people

• Progress made on the US$700 million Commonwealth Net Zero fund, expected to attract partial guarantees of about US$500 million.

• A new Commonwealth Nature Initiative with early commitments of US$202 million

Collaboration with the Insurance Industry to enable fast payouts.

During the last day of the summit the Global Eye Health conference held in Antigua raised over US$1.23 billion, and that a private UK citizen donated US$20 million in pledges to the Commonwealth.

“Antigua hosted the first Global Eye Health Conference, and at that conference, over 1.23 billion U.S. Dollars were pledged,” Browne announced.

On reparations, the communiqué highlighted the UK government agreed to have a structured, time bound, inclusive and in good faith dialogue around the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans and their historic impacts.

“Our heads welcome the agreement of the government of the United Kingdom to engage in a structured, time-bound, inclusive,and good faith dialogue with affected parties addressing the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans and its historical harms.”

Browne said he hopes that the discussions will take place within 12 months and that there will be a framework developed by the end of this year or early next year. He commended the British Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s courage and goodwill and said the issue will not divide the Commonwealth.

“I think he has shown a significant amount of courage and goodwill, and I can tell you that he has developed a lot of goodwill with the Caribbean nations,” Browne said.

Leaders also called for reforms to make sure debt considers climate vulnerabilities such as state contingent pause clauses and climate related debt instruments. Browne noted the UK’s commitment to champion the Commonwealth’s debt issues when they hold the G20 next year.

Botchwey said trade and finance ministers across the Commonwealth will meet with CEOs next year to address and remove trade barriers, keeping the critical minerals on the agenda.

She further thanked the outgoing chair Samoa and called the smallest country to ever chair the Commonwealth, Antigua and Barbuda, a proof of what great things our smaller countries are capable of.