Big goals for Samoa summit
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The 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) is on in Samoa this week, attracting over 3,000 delegates from 56 countries.
The bi-annual summit, taking place in Apia, is set to be the largest international event in the Pacific Island nation’s history.
As the first “Small Island Developing State in the Blue Pacific region” to host CHOGM, Samoa's preparations have been extensive.
In recent months, local villages have been beautified, roads resurfaced, and infrastructure upgraded, with over 4,000 guests expected, including heads of state, diplomats, and business leaders.
Samoa’s Prime Minister, Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa, has expressed excitement about the opportunity to host CHOGM, stating; “Consistent with the spirit of our Commonwealth aiga, and guided by the fa'asamoa, my Government and I, and the people of Samoa eagerly anticipate welcoming the Commonwealth family to our island home, and to the Blue Pacific Continent”.
This year’s CHOGM will include the presence of King Charles III, who will attend as Head of the Commonwealth for the first time.
The King, alongside Queen Camilla, will participate in engagements, including discussions on climate action - one of the central issues of the summit.
The event’s official theme, “One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Common Wealth”, signals a focus on building resilience, addressing climate change, and fostering equitable development.
Delegates are expected to deliberate on the Ocean Declaration, aiming to enhance sustainable ocean management.
Outcomes of these discussions will shape policy directions for the Commonwealth nations, which represent 2.7 billion people.
Samoa’s National Task Force, chaired by Prime Minister Mataʻafa, has orchestrated the event, working in partnership with regional and international bodies.
The agenda includes four main forums (Youth, People, Business, and Women’s), ministerial meetings, and 35 side events designed to encourage dialogue among Commonwealth members.
The summit will conclude with a final communiqué, summarising the discussions and agreements reached during the week.
The summit also invites scrutiny over the Commonwealth’s relevance in a rapidly changing world.
Critics have pointed to its colonial origins and questioned its efficacy, describing it as a “talk shop” with little concrete output.
Supporters, however, highlight the organisation's potential for fostering cooperation across diverse nations from the Global North and South.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland acknowledged these complexities, saying; “The Commonwealth has always stood shoulder to shoulder with the Pacific… It is a force for good, one which calls for our highest ambition and collective action”.
Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, will attend CHOGM to demonstrate what he says is a commitment to regional unity, particularly in addressing the impacts of climate change.
As Samoa welcomes its guests, the hope is that CHOGM 2024 will not only mark a successful summit but also contribute to tangible progress on pressing global issues, especially for small island states like Samoa, which face the direct impacts of climate change.
“We are very much looking forward to welcoming the Commonwealth family to Samoa... Everyone is impacted by climate change, and we see value in how other countries are adapting, mitigating, and responding to the climate crisis,” Prime Minister Mataʻafa said.
The summit’s outcomes will be closely monitored, as leaders seek to enhance democratic institutions, economic resilience, and social empowerment across the Commonwealth.