Antigua and Barbuda is getting technical assistance from the UK as its ramps up preparations for the next Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOHM) which the country will host in November 2026.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dr. Clarence Pilgrim and the Resident British High Commissioner, John Hamilton, on Thursday inked a Memorandum of Understanding paving the way for the technical assistance to Antigua and Barbuda.
“This particular agreement will assist Antigua and Barbuda in its preparations for next year’s CHOGM. It is important to note that this will be a significant undertaking and as such we are looking to our friends to offer assistance. So, for this particular assistance being offered, we are going to have someone seconded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to work with us from April next year. This person will be on the ground helping us to make sure that everything is in place so that we can have a successful and historic occasion,” PS Dr. Pilgrim stated.
High Commissioner Hamilton said it was a pleasure to continue to demonstrate the UK’s support for Antigua and Barbuda’s work to deliver what he predicts would be ‘an incredibly successful and momentous’ CHOGM.
“The UK is very happy to provide this individual to work with you and building on the successful model that was used in the run-up to SIDS4 in 2024, when we were also able to second staff to come and work with you here in Antigua and Barbuda. So once the idea came up we were very happy to replicate this assistance. This is just one of several lines of assistance where we will be helping you in the run-up to the CHGM,” he stated.
