King Charles praises Samoa’s term as CHOGM’s Chair-in-Office

Antigua & Barbuda – 5 November 2006 – At the Official Opening Ceremony of the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Governments (CHOGM) Meeting, Samoa’s Head of Delegation, Deputy Prime Minister Hon Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molioo passed the ‘Ulafala’ to Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda. The presentation symbolized the end of Samoa’s term as Chair in Office as well as to offer Samoa’s continuing support for the next two years.

The Heads of Governments convened CHOGM this year on the theme “Accelerating partnerships and investments for a prosperous Commonwealth.”

The Deputy Prime Minister thanked Antigua and Barbuda for the warm hospitality and the excellent arrangements for the meeting and congratulated them on the celebration of the 45th anniversary of their Independence, which coincided with the meeting.

As part of the festivities, Hon Mulipola joined a friendly Leaders Cricket match where the leaders of the Caribbean, captained by the President of Guyana played against the Leaders of the Wider Commonwealth, captained by the Vice President of Kenya.

DPM, Mulipola joining a Leaders Cricket Team captained by the President of Guyana and played against the Leaders of the Wider Commonwealth, captained by the Vice President of Kenya.

His Majesty King Charles alongside Prime Minister Browne praised Samoa’s term as Chair-in-Office. During this time as Chair in Office, the Commonwealth has touched lives and made a difference through the networks created and lessons learnt from the inaugural Commonwealth Business Summit, the Commonwealth Businesswomen’s Network programmes to support women entrepreneurs and grassroots innovations as well as the 50 Fellows from His Majesty the King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme.

Hon Mulipola highlighted several milestones of Samoa’s hosting and Chairmanship of CHOGM which included the implementation of the Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration focussing on protection and sustainable stewardship. Samoa’s Early Childhood Development Framework stems from a proposal from the Samoa Youth Forum in 2024.

Through the Commonwealth Business Forum in Samoa, private sector businesses made useful connections and formed partnerships with investors and global companies that attended.

The Deputy Prime Minister in her interventions throughout the CHOGM week shared Samoa’s development on various sectors of the agenda of the meetings. She urged the Commonwealth and its leaders to hear the call on climate change and the 1.5-degree threshold on global warming, in particular the discussions from the recent Pre COP31 meetings in Fiji and Tuvalu. She spoke of the critical need for increased grant-based climate finance for small island development states who have already started to feel the impacts of climate change.

Leaders at CHOGM 2026

Mulipola also called for continued engagement in Samoa’s priority areas like trade and investment, inclusive communities, the AI divide, support to multilateralism, work of small vulnerable states, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

The Deputy Prime Minister also held a bilateral meeting with the Right Honourable Gaston Browne, host of the CHOGM to discuss matters of mutual interest and met with the Secretary General Hon Shirley Botchwey.

She attended the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), the Commonwealth Ministerial Meeting of Small States (CMMSS), and the Commonwealth Foreign Ministers Meeting (CFAMM). Ministers received updates from the Secretary General where she highlighted the work of the organization, in particular the aspirations for the Commonwealth to do more for its citizens in these turbulent times.

Hon Moefaauouo Julius Tafunai also attended the Women and Youth Forums held alongside the CHOGM from 2-4 November.

The Women’s forum focused on issues such as gender equality, women’s leadership, economic empowerment, ending gender-based violence amongst others. The Youth forum was conducted under the theme of “Investing in Youth Agency- Co-creating Pathways Towards Shared Prosperity.”

The Minister for Family and Social Affairs spoke at various events of the forums providing updates from our national development plans for women, youth and people with disabilities.

Samoa’s Delegation
The CHOGM was well attended by Samoa’s delegation led by Hon Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molioo, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance; Hon Moefaauouo Julius Tafunai, Minister for Family and Social Affairs; Mrs Sili Margaret Tafunai, Loau Donina Vaa, CEO-MFSA; H.E Sauiao Francella Strickland-Simonet, High Commissioner of Samoa, Brussels; Laveifaamau Miriama Betham-Malielegaoi, ACEO-MFAT; Henry Tunupopo, ACEO-MFAT; Ana Leau Vaasa-Te’o, ACEO-MFSA; Ms. Noelani Manoa, Deputy High Commissioner-High Commission of Samoa, Brussels; Matai’a Meritiana Fepuleai-Tanuvasa, Principal Advisor to the DPM and Youth Representatives Ms Iliganoa Feagaimalii Soti Mapu and Mr. Tapunuu Vensel Margraff. The Ombudsman Vui Clarance Nelson and his staff, Legafuaina Tavita, Director of Investigation, Rosa Siaosi, Director of Human Rights and senior officers Elialina Moala and Phaedra Lameko, also attended the Commonwealth Forum of National Human Rights Institution bi-annual conference 2026.