Statement by Hon. Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molioo, Deputy Prime Minister of Samoa for the Opening Ceremony of CHOGM 2026 in Antigua and Barbuda on 3 November 2026
We thank Antigua and Barbuda for your excellent arrangements and leadership. From the vibrant music, to the uplifting interfaith service, the thrill of the cricket matches to your natural beauty, we have been blessed to experience your legendary hospitality.
We extend our warmest Congratulations on your 45th Anniversary of Independence celebrations that we were privileged to be a part of.
It has been an honour for Samoa to serve as Chair in Office for our Commonwealth family. It was particularly a privilege for Samoa to host His Majesty for his first CHOGM as Head of the Commonwealth.
We are pleased that the theme for CHOGM this year of ‘Accelerating partnerships and investments for a prosperous Commonwealth´, continues to take forward our goal for building resilience, which has been at the heart of Samoa’s chairmanship.
As Chair in Office, we were committed to supporting the smooth transition in leadership, and the Secretary General’s bold reforms that takes us away from the ‘business as usual´ approach. Profound and transformative changes are not only necessary, but inevitable if our organisation is to remain relevant and responsive to the needs of its members.
Excellencies,
Samoa is honoured to be part of this remarkable family of nations. The Commonwealth continues to be a champion for small and vulnerable states as affirmed in our charter. At a time marked by economic volatility, climate pressures, rapid technological transformation, and escalating geopolitical complexities, our collective responsibility has never been greater, and more urgent.
The world is already pushing past the critical 1.5 degree threshold. Many nations and communities are facing permanent losses. But overshoot, must not become an excuse for delayed ambition or inaction. The Commonwealth must hear the calls from the recent Pacific Pre COP31 discussions in Fiji and Tuvalu. Accessible, predictable, and grant-based Climate finance is the bridge between ambition and action. No nation should have to borrow its way out of a crisis it did so little to create.
Our ocean is our lifeblood. It feeds our people, anchors our economies and carries our cultures. Implementing the Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration is our contribution for the world, to collectively transform ocean exploitation into protection and sustainable stewardship.
Excellencies,
During our chairmanship, we continued to call for unified and meaningful engagement to transform global climate - ocean action, boost trade and investment, empower women, youth and persons with disabilities, bridge the AI divide and strengthen our defence of what matters: multilateralism, small vulnerable states, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
We are particularly pleased that the Samoa Communiqué resilience pillars, are now well embedded across the different Commonwealth organisation programmes.
We also continue to put children at the centre of our efforts. A five-year-old’s Book of Dreams presented to the Chair in Office at CHOGM 2024, inspired efforts that led to Samoa’s Early Childhood Development Framework, and now early childhood development, is a standing agenda item on the Pacific Island Leaders’ meeting.
Lastly, the Adopt-a-country campaign during CHOGM Samoa demonstrated the strength of Commonwealth partnership at the community level. Many Samoan villages benefited directly from the generosity of fellow Commonwealth nations. Several Commonwealth leaders now hold Samoan chiefly titles, and the relationships forged during CHOGM continue to grow through enduring people-to-people connections. These bonds remain one of the most meaningful legacies of our chairmanship.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Today, I am honoured to carry out Samoa´s final duty as outgoing Chair-in-Office of the Commonwealth, in handing over the mantle of leadership to Prime Minister Gaston Browne, and the people of Antigua and Barbuda.
At the 2024 CHOGM opening ceremony we welcomed leaders with the ula fala like the one I am wearing, woven from the mature fruit of the resilient pandanus tree. To signify the handover, I present this ula fala which has travelled from Samoa to Antigua, and symbolically from our CHOGM 24 opening, marking the end of our term, and offering our continuing support for a ‘family member’.
On behalf of the Prime Minister, the government and people of Samoa, ¨Fa’amanuia le Atua i lou tulai mai.” God bless your tenure as Chair in Office, Prime Minister Browne.
God bless the Government and people of Antigua and Barbuda.
God Bless our Commonwealth Family.
Soifua ma ia Manuia.
