Rwandan President Paul Kagame has held a series of bilateral meetings with leaders from several Commonwealth countries attending the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua and Barbuda.

According to a statement released by the Office of the President, Village Urugwiro, on the evening of November 3, 2026, Kagame met with the Prime Ministers of Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Sri Lanka, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Eswatini.

The leaders included Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda, the host of this year's summit; Philip Davis of The Bahamas; Harini Amarasuriya of Sri Lanka; Godwin Friday of St Vincent and the Grenadines; and Russell Mmiso Dlamini of Eswatini.

The meetings took place on the third day of CHOGM 2026, providing an opportunity for the leaders to discuss issues of mutual interest and explore ways to strengthen cooperation between their respective countries.

President Kagame also participated in the first private retreat session for Heads of State and Government, alongside Prime Minister Gaston Browne and other senior Commonwealth leaders.

The closed-door discussions focused on shared challenges facing member states and opportunities to establish stronger partnerships in addressing common priorities.

This year's CHOGM is being held under the theme, "Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth."

The summit has brought together leaders from 30 countries, alongside government ministers, private sector representatives, civil society organisations and young people to discuss economic development, investment and cooperation across the Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent countries, including Rwanda, which joined the organisation in 2009.

Rwanda previously hosted CHOGM in Kigali in June 2022, when President Kagame assumed the organisation's chairmanship, a role he held until October 2024.

The first CHOGM was held in Singapore in 1971, replacing earlier meetings of Commonwealth Prime Ministers. Since then, the summit has evolved into a major platform for political dialogue, diplomatic engagement and cooperation among member states.

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