Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participates in CHOGM 2026 opening ceremony

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in the official opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua and Barbuda on 3 November 2026.

The opening session featured addresses by His Majesty the King; the Chairman of CHOGM, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Mr. Gaston Browne; Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey; and the Prime Minister of Samoa, representing the former Chair-in-Office of the Commonwealth.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Browne emphasised the importance of ensuring inclusive development across all Commonwealth member states, irrespective of their size. He also highlighted the significance of cooperation in education and the empowerment of women.

In her address, Botchwey underscored the need to strengthen connectivity among Commonwealth countries through enhanced investment and trade relations. She also emphasised the importance of investing in distance education to equip younger generations with the skills required to meet future challenges, and highlighted the growing impacts of climate change and the importance of strengthening preparedness and resilience across member states.

The addresses highlighted the importance of collective action, inclusive development, economic cooperation and resilience in advancing the shared priorities of the Commonwealth.