President Paul Kagame has held bilateral talks with leaders from Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Sri Lanka, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Eswatini on the sidelines of the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua and Barbuda.
The discussions took place on November 4, 2026, during the President’s third day at the meeting, according to a statement issued by the Office of the President, Village Urugwiro, in the early hours of the day.
The statement said: “On his third day at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2026), President Kagame held talks with Prime Minister Gaston Browne of the host country, Prime Minister Philip Davis of the Bahamas, and Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya of Sri Lanka,”
The statement further indicated that Kagame also met with the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Godwin Friday, and the Prime Minister of Eswatini, Russell Mmiso Dlamini.
Kagame Attends Official Opening of CHOGM 2026
On November 3, the Rwandan Head of State attended the official opening ceremony of CHOGM 2026 at the National Performing Arts Centre in St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda.
During the ceremony, Kagame joined host Prime Minister Gaston Browne, King Charles III, heads of state and government from Commonwealth member countries, and other international dignitaries.
The 28th edition of CHOGM is taking place from November 1 to November 4, 2026, under the theme “Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth.” The meeting has brought together 30 heads of state and government, alongside ministers, private sector representatives, non-governmental organisations and young people.
Rwanda’s Role in the Commonwealth
The first Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting was held in Singapore in 1971, replacing earlier meetings of prime ministers from countries with historical ties to Britain. Since then, different Commonwealth member states have hosted the gathering.
Rwanda joined the Commonwealth on November 29, 2009, becoming one of the organisation’s members that had not been colonised by Britain. In 2022, Rwanda hosted CHOGM in Kigali from June 20 to June 25. Discussions at the meeting focused on economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, innovation and strengthening partnerships.
President Kagame served as Chairperson of the Commonwealth from 2022 until October 2024, when he handed over the position to Samoa, which hosted the next meeting in Apia.
