(PRESS RELEASE)- The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)
2022 ends in Rwanda with Samoa confirmed as the host and incoming Chair-in-
Office of the 2024 CHOGM
The Prime Minister of Samoa, Hon. Fiame Naomi Mataafa arrived in Kigali, Rwanda
this week to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
CHOGM brings together Leaders and delegations from 54 commonwealth nations
from across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Pacific and Europe. Leaders of
Commonwealth countries meet every two years, hosted by different member
countries on a rotating basis since 1971. The last meeting was hosted by the United
Kingdom in 2018, and this is the first meeting since the COVID-19 pandemic delayed
the meeting for two years. CHOGM aims to reinforce multilateral cooperation,
explore new opportunities, and tackle common challenges for the well-being of future
generations. The theme of CHOGM 2022 is ‘Delivering a Common Future:
Connecting, Innovating, Transforming.'
The official opening of the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
(CHOGM), was held at the Kigali Conference Centre, on Friday 24th June and heard
remarks from HRH The Prince of Wales, the new Chair-In-Office and President of
Rwanda, H.E. Paul Kagame, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon
Patricia Scotland QC, and outgoing Chair-In-Office, Prime Minister of the United
Kingdom, the Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP.

The week-long gathering included Ministerial Meetings, Forums, side events and
other activities. The official opening of CHOGM took place on Friday 24 June,
followed by the main high-level meetings of Heads of Government, which ended with
a retreat on Saturday 25 June.
The Leaders discussed important matters to the Commonwealth family of nations
such as Democracy, Peace, and Governance; Sustainable and Inclusive

Development; Post-COVID-19 recovery, climate crisis, new members and the
Secretary General of the Commonwealth Secretariat. On Saturday 25 th during the
Leaders Retreat, Samoa was confirmed as the next host for the CHOGM in 2024.
The Honourable Prime Minister was accompanied by Mrs Peseta Noumea Simi,
CEO Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Agafili Shem Leo, CEO Ministry of Prime
Minister and Cabinet, Francella Strickland, Ambassador of Samoa to Belgium and
and Mr Vani Vai, ADC.
Samoa’s hosting of the 2024 CHOGM will be the first time a Pacific member country
will host CHOGM.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
June 27 2022