Grenada’s delegation actively engaged in the 27th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, attending pivotal gatherings, including the Commonwealth Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (CFAMM), the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), and the Commonwealth Ministers Meeting on Small States (CMMSS).
These sessions focused on Commonwealth priorities for the coming years and set forth collaborative paths to resilience and development.
CHOGM 2024 highlighted key areas: advancing electoral support, utilising AI and transformative technologies, and promoting development financing. Following intensive discussions, leaders endorsed significant documents, including the Samoa Communiqué, Leaders’ Statement, Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration, Youth Declaration, and principles supporting freedom of expression and media roles. Reparations and reparatory justice, driven by the Caricom Caucus, were addressed, culminating in a commitment within the Samoa Communiqué to inclusive dialogue on these issues, with a focus on justice for women and girls.
Highlighted CHOGM takeaways include:
- Grenada’s diplomatic expansion, particularly with African nations
- Launch of the Commonwealth Disaster Resilience Centre (CDRC), aimed at bolstering climate resilience, featuring Grenada’s experience with Hurricane Beryl as a key case study
- A new Commonwealth–WHO partnership on noncommunicable diseases and mental health
- Additional £2.5 million pledged by Canada to the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub (CCFAH)
- The Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP), which offers capacity-building for Commonwealth members, covering areas such as resilience, sustainability, and digitalisation
- The Commonwealth Ocean Declaration committed to financing sustainable ocean management
High Commissioner Rachér Croney described the summit as a success, stating that “the meetings, forums, and engagements were both informationally rich and diverse addressing a wide cross-section of challenges spread across 56 countries. It underscored that although we may be geographically dispersed with different-sized economies and resources, our challenges are the same.” She noted that, “as a Commonwealth that is 75 years old, we must set the bar in sharing, leveraging, and uniting around solutions for all our countries while ensuring that the Commonwealth remains relevant, inclusive, informed, accessible, and a result-driven institution for member states.”
The Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey of Ghana was announced as the next Secretary-General, set to assume office in April 2025.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
