St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda (November 2, 2026) – Ahead of the arrival of the Deputy Prime Minister, who leads the St. Kitts and Nevis delegation to the 28th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua and Barbuda, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas, Minister of Foreign Affairs, commenced his official engagements with fellow ministers at the Commonwealth Small States Ministers Meeting (CSSMM).

A regular feature of the CHOGM calendar, the CSSMM provides an opportunity for Foreign Ministers to meet ahead of their Heads of Government to discuss and strategize on how the Commonwealth can better deliver for small states, which make up a significant portion of the Commonwealth membership.

During the meeting, ministers considered proposals to strengthen advocacy mechanisms for small states and build a coalition of support aimed at galvanizing action to increase investment, partnerships, and sustainable development opportunities.

On the second day of discussions, Minister Douglas rejoined Commonwealth Foreign Ministers and Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Hon. Shirley Botchwey, at the American University of Antigua Conference Centre to advance discussions on trade, law, and sports, and to endorse the draft CHOGM Communiqué ahead of the meeting of Heads of Government.

Dr. Douglas noted that, “This meeting is an important opportunity for the Commonwealth, with its grouping of like-minded countries, to address many of the challenges affecting our nations, including how to respond to hostile agendas that could undermine the development objectives of the Commonwealth family.”

The Commonwealth Foreign Ministers subsequently endorsed the draft Communiqué, which will now be submitted to Heads of Government for consideration and adoption. Ministers also explored ways to improve investment pathways through greater collaboration, including the sharing of best practices, expertise, and innovative approaches to development.

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